title: The influence of symptoms on quality of life among patients who have undergone oesophageal cancer surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After oesophagectomy, anatomical changes and loss of function induce various symptoms that may affect quality of life (QoL) in oesophageal cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing QoL in Korean patients who have undergone oesophageal cancer surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample consisting of 120 surgery patients with oesophageal cancer. We used the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-OES18 to measure participants' oesophageal cancer-related symptoms and QoL. Multiple regression analyses were applied to analyse to the relationship between cancer-related symptoms and QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average score of oesophageal cancer-related symptoms was 19.28 points, and the most common symptom was reflux. The mean score for global health status/QoL was 60.55. There were significant differences in the functional and symptom subscales according to financial burden, operation type (procedure), and treatment period. Dysphagia most affected global health status/QoL, and eating problems most affected the functional and symptom subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dysphagia and eating problems were confirmed to be the most common symptoms affecting the QoL of patients who had undergone oesophageal cancer surgery. These results can be used to aid in the development of strategies to better manage symptoms in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Samsung Medical Center Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seo-In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kyung@cau.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyunghee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cancer; Global health palliative care; Oesophageal neoplasms; Oesophagectomy; Oesophagus; Quality of life; Survival rate