title: Quality of life for patients with esophageal/gastric cardia precursor lesions or cancer: a one-year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study examined health-related quality of life (QoL) for patients with esophageal/ gastric cardia precursor lesions or cancer before and after treatment to facilitate improved prevention and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with different stages of esophageal/gastric cardia lesions completed two QoL questionnaires, EORTC QLQ-C30 and supplemental QLQ-OES 18, before primary treatment, and at 1, 6 and 12 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine patients with precursor lesions, 57 with early stage cancer, and 43 with advanced cancer responded to our survey. Patients with precursor lesions or early stage cancer reported better QoL overall than those with advanced cancer before treatment (p<0.01). Global QoL scores before treatment and at 1 month after treatment were 71±9 versus 69±9 (p>0.01), 71±8 versus 61±11 (p<0.01), 67 ± 11 versus 62 ± 9 (p<0.01) for three stages of lesions. At 6 months after treatment, some QoL measures recovered gradually in precursor lesion and early cancer patients, while some continuously deteriorated in advanced cancer patients. At 12 months, all QoL scores were comparable to baseline for patients with precursor lesions (p>0.01), while global QoL, social, pain, and insomnia scores for early stage and advanced cancer were inferior to corresponding baseline levels (difference between means>5, p<0.01). At this time point, compared with patients with early stage cancer, those with advanced cancer showed worse QoL with all function and most symptom measures (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with precursor lesions or early stage esophageal/gastric cardia cancer show better QoL than those with advanced cancer. This indicates that screening, early diagnosis and treatment may improve the QoL for esophageal/gastric cardia cancer patients. Target intervention and counseling should be given by health care providers during treatment and follow-up to facilitate QoL improvement.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China E-mail : chunxia815@aliyun.com.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Wen
authors: Xiong-Fei
authors: XF
authors: Pan
authors: Wen-Zhi
authors: WZ
authors: Huang
authors: Zhi-Mei
authors: ZM
authors: Zhao
authors: Wen-Qiang
authors: WQ
authors: Wei
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Chen
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Lan
authors: He
authors: H
authors: Huang
authors: Chun-Xia
authors: CX
authors: Yang
authors: You-Lin
authors: YL
authors: Qiao
mesh_terms: D002299:Cardia / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires