Health-related quality of life among patients cured by surgery for esophageal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Little is known regarding the long-term, health-related quality of life (HRQL) of survivors of esophagectomy for cancer.


METHODS
Consecutive patients completed the validated European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer general quality-of life-questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the esophageal-specific module (QLQ-OES18) before surgery and regularly thereafter for at least 3 years. Mean scores with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The Student t test for paired data was used to determine differences between baseline and 3-year HRQL scores in which scores differed by >or=5 points.


RESULTS
Of 90 patients who underwent surgery, 47 patients (52%) survived for >or=3 years. In this group, most aspects of HRQL recovered to preoperative levels by the 3-year assessment, except that scores for physical function, breathlessness, diarrhea, and reflux were significantly worse than at baseline (P < .01). However, patients reported significantly better emotional function 3 years after surgery than before treatment (P = .0008).


CONCLUSIONS
Even after 3 years, patients who underwent esophagectomy suffered persistent problems with physical function and specific symptoms. These findings may be used to inform patients of the long-term consequences of surgery.
Lagergren
Pernilla
P
Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Avery
Kerry N L
KN
Hughes
Rachael
R
Barham
C Paul
CP
Alderson
Derek
D
Falk
Stephen J
SJ
Blazeby
Jane M
JM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data