# Feeding tube (gastrostomy, PEG, jejunostomy)

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/feeding-tube/  
OnCo record `feeding-tube` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

A tube placed into the stomach (gastrostomy, PEG) or small bowel (jejunostomy) so a patient who cannot swallow enough can still be fed through the gut.

## Summary

Head and neck chemoradiation, oesophageal cancer and extensive upper-GI surgery often make eating impossible for weeks. A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is placed through the abdominal wall under endoscopy; a feeding jejunostomy is often placed at oesophagectomy. Enteral feeding is preferred over intravenous nutrition whenever the gut works, because it keeps the intestinal barrier healthy and costs less. Prophylactic versus reactive tube placement in head and neck cancer remains debated because tubes can prolong swallowing disuse.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: gastrostomy; PEG tube; jejunostomy; nasogastric tube; enteral feeding; feeding tubes

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percutaneous_endoscopic_gastrostomy
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percutaneous_endoscopic_gastrostomy

## Connected records

- terms: [Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)](https://onco.cc/terms/dysphagia/), [Mucositis and stomatitis](https://onco.cc/terms/mucositis/), [Oesophagectomy](https://onco.cc/terms/oesophagectomy/)
- technologies: [Enteral and parenteral nutrition support](https://onco.cc/technologies/enteral-parenteral-nutrition/)
- cancers: [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Oesophageal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/esophageal/)
- fronts: [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/feeding-tube.json