RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the impact of hand video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (HVATS) and Ivor-Lewis surgery on short term quality of life (QL) of patients with esophageal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-nine consecutive patients with esophageal cancer were classified into HVATS group (n = 21) and Ivor-Lewis group (n = 18) randomly, all patients completed the Chinese versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 and QLQ-OES18 before treatment and at regular intervals until 6 months after operation. MEAN scores were calculated for every patient.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Baseline functional and symptom QL MEAN scores were similar in both groups. All patients reported worse functional, symptom and global QL scores (QOL) within 6 months after operation than before. HVATS group gained higher functional, global QL scores and lower symptom scores than Ivor-Lewis group, moreover, patients' QL scores of HVATS group returned to preoperative levels more quickly than those patients in Ivor-Lewis group. Significant differences were found in global health (QOL), physical functioning, fatigue and pain scales between groups. In both groups, QLQ-OES18 dysphagia scales were improved after surgery,but no significant differences were found at scales respect to esophageal cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HVATS esophagectomy is a safe procedure which has a low disturbance to patients' short term Quality of Life compared with Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy. It might seem reasonable to choose HVATS esophagectomy for patients with early stage esophageal cancer.</p>