Postoperative complications and health-related quality of life after oesophageal cancer surgery: a national, population-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Surgical resection for oesophageal cancer is technically challenging and associated with a high incidence of complications. This study aimed to assess whether complications influence long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) in oesophageal cancer survivors.

Materials and methods

This nationwide cohort study included 617 patients who underwent oesophagectomy for cancer in Sweden between 2013 and 2021 with a 1-year follow-up. Complications within 30 days of surgery were categorised into (1) with or without, (2) medical or surgical and (3) according to the Clavien-Dindo classification (0-1, 2-3a, 3b-4). HRQL was assessed with European Organisation for Research and Treatment questionnaires and analysed using multivariable linear regression models, proving mean score differences (MSD) with 95% confidence intervals. The MSDs were adjusted for age, sex, education level, comorbidity, tumour histology, tumour stage, surgical technique and neoadjuvant therapy.

Results

The cohort included 406 patients who survived at least 1 year after oesophageal cancer surgery. Of these, 273 (68%) had at least one complication in the first 30 postoperative days. Long-term HRQL was comparable between patients with or without complications, with or without medical and surgical complications and between different grades of complication severity.

Interpretation

This study suggests that the influence of complications within 30 days of oesophageal cancer surgery on HRQL is minor after 1 year.

SUBMITTER: Lagergren P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11697142 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature