title: Long-term survivors of esophageal cancer: disease-specific quality of life, general health and complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to assess the quality of life as well as secondary cancers/diseases and esophagectomy-related or unrelated interventions in the long-term course of surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of 417 patients who underwent esophageal resection for cancer between September 1985 and November 2003, 85 were defined as long-term survivors (≥5 years). Fifty patients still alive in November 2008 complied with our inclusion criteria. The general (QLQ-C 30, version 3.0) as well as the esophagus specific quality of life (QLQ-OES 18) were analyzed with the help of the EORTC QLQ-questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median observation interval since the operation was 100.1 (range 60-238) months. A median Global Health Status of quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C 30) of 66.7 was found (range 16.7-100). Among the functioning scores, emotional (83.3 (range 16.7-100)) and cognitive functioning (83.3 (range 0-100)) were highest. The esophagus-specific quality of life (EORTC QLQ-OES 18) revealed a median value (scale 0-100) of 0 each for dysphagia and difficulties with swallowing saliva, whilst reflux was a major problem with a score of 50.0 (range 0-100).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that long-term survival with a good quality of life is possible after curative esophagectomy for carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. gockel@ach.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gockel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gönner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domeyer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Junginger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors