Impact of Postoperative Complications on Quality of Life After Oesophageal Cancer Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Pernilla Lagergren, Asif Johar, Anna Schandl
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Hypothesis
Do postoperative complications influence long-term health-related quality of life in oesophageal cancer survivors?
Conclusion
Postoperative complications have a minor impact on health-related quality of life in oesophageal cancer patients one year after surgery.
Supporting Evidence
- 273 out of 406 patients (68%) had at least one complication within 30 days of surgery.
- Long-term health-related quality of life was comparable between patients with and without complications.
- Complications did not lead to clinically relevant decreases in global quality of life.
Takeaway
This study found that having complications after surgery for oesophageal cancer doesn't really change how well patients feel a year later.
Methodology
A nationwide cohort study with 617 patients who underwent oesophagectomy for cancer, assessing complications and health-related quality of life using questionnaires.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to excluding patients who were too sick to participate or had tumor recurrence.
Limitations
The study only included patients who survived at least 1 year after surgery, which may exclude those with poorer health outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 66.7 years, with 92% being men.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: –5.7 to 4.0
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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