title: Patterns of symptoms following surgery for esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore patterns of symptoms before and after surgery for cancer of the esophagus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal, descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An urban comprehensive cancer center in the northeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  218 patients with cancer of the esophagus undergoing esophagectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptoms were assessed by self-report before surgery, at the first postoperative visit, and at 6 and 12 months postsurgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptoms and demographic and clinical variables, including stage, treatment, gender, and comorbidities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with esophageal cancer reported numerous symptoms before and after esophagectomy. Several patterns of symptoms were identified. General cancer symptoms (e.g., pain, cough, shortness of breath, weight loss) were reported as worse after surgery but recovered to baseline by one year. A second pattern of esophageal-specific symptoms (feeling full too quickly, feeling bloated, nausea, and diarrhea) worsened after surgery and did not recover to baseline by one year. Reflux was the only symptom that did not worsen after surgery but did worsen significantly during the first year of recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with esophageal cancer experienced multiple prolonged symptoms following surgical treatment for their disease. General cancer symptoms resolved by one year post-treatment, whereas esophageal-specific symptoms worsened after surgery and did not recover to baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identification of symptom patterns preoperatively and during recovery can assist nurses in developing intervention protocols to minimize long-term complications for patients with esophageal cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with esophageal cancer are at risk for multiple prolonged symptoms following surgery. Symptom assessment should occur often after surgery and include a broad range of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing at Lehman College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA. p_ginex@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ginex
authors.forename: Bridgette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thom
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jingeleski
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plourde
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rizk
authors.forename: Valerie W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Rusch
authors.forename: Manjit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bains
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000451:nursing*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors