title: Health-related quality of life among patients cured by surgery for esophageal cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pernilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lagergren
authors.forename: Kerry N L
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: C Paul
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Barham
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alderson
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blazeby
mesh_terms: 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