ABSTRACT
Oesophagogastric [OG] cancer as a globally common and deadly malignancy, which is widely spread in Northeast Iran, has an extensive impact on health-related quality of life [HRQL]. Demographic and histopathologic changes have been apparent in oesophagogastric cancer, therefore. HRQL could be used, as an outcome, to assess and determine the efficacy and impact of cancer care. A consecutive sample of upper-gastrointestinal cancer patients admitted to the main oncology/ radiotherapy departments in the North-East of Iran were recruited into the study. All participants completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC] QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OG25questionnaires in a face to face interview. Of the total 275 patients participated in the study, 54% had oesophageal, 34% stomach and 12% OG junction cancers. About 73.1% had TNM [tumour, node, metastasis] staging; of which 69% were in stage III and IV. The most common type of cancer in oesophagus was Squamous Cell Carcinoma [SCC] [95.3%] in lower third, Adenocarcinoma in stomach [97.8%] and in the OG junction [93.8%]. Patients with stomach or OG junction tended more to present in higher stages [P < 0.001]. Unlike QLQ-C30, the EORTC QLQ-OG25 was able to differ patients significantly in anxiety scale [P = 0.01], body image, chocking and weight loss [P < 0.05]. Those who had self care ability had better quality of life scores [P < 0.001] in more scales and items. SCC is predominant type of upper GI cancer in Khorasan provinces similar to the high risk area in Northern Iran. The specific health-related quality of life tool [EORTC QLQ-OG25] was able to distinguish most of the symptoms in patients with upper GI cancer