A longitudinal study of evaluating the quality of life of esophageal carcinoma patients / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the impact of esophagectomy and palliative treatment on short term and long term quality of life (QL) in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: 88 consective patients treated with radical esophagectomy or palliative treatment were scored by European organization of cancer research and treatment (EORTC), QLQ C30 measurement of QL before treatment and at regular intervals until death or 3 years after operation. The cases were divided into 3 groups and mean scores were obtained from each group. Patients surviving more than 2 years were classified as group 1, with group 2 surviving less than 2 years, and group 3 undergoing palliative treatment. Results: Baseline functional and symptomatic QL scores were similar before treatment in the first and second group, which were higher than scores from the third group. Six weeks after esophagectomy, patients reported worse functional, symptom and global QL scores than before treatment. In the first group, QL scores returned to preoperative level within 9 months. However, improved symptom of dysphagia the second group never regained their former QL scores apart from dysphagia improved after surgery. QL scores of the third group were similar to those of the second group after treatment. Conclusion: Esophagectomy might have a negative impact on patients QL. This effect was found to be transient in the first group but inreversible in the second group. It might seem reasonable for patients in late stage to be treated palliatively.