Quality of Life in Patients With Cancer of the Esophagus and Gastric Cardia: A Case for Palliative Resection

OBJECTIVE To evaluate quality-of-life (QOL) parameters in patients undergoing esophagectomy, curative or palliative, for carcinoma. DESIGN Nonconsecutive case series. PATIENTS Eighty-eight patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer (curative, n=49 [56]; palliative, n=39 [44]) provided QOL assessments over an 18-month period. SETTING Procedures for referral care were performed by a single team of clinicians in a tertiary referral center. Evaluations of QOL were made by 1 independent trained investigator. OUTCOME MEASURES Data were documented by questionnaire at interview and parameters evaluated included an esophageal module for the type and quantity of food intake, severity of related symptoms on eating, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Groups (ECOG) performance status, sleep, pain, leisure activity, working capacity, outlook on life, general well-being, and support from family and friends. A summation of selected parameters was used to calculate a total score. RESULTS Significant improvements were recorded in both the curative and palliative groups for at least 1 year following surgery in the type (P