Abstract
BACKGROUND: This prospective study was conducted to determine postesophagectomy symptom severity of esophageal cancer survivors with use of the Upper Digestive Disease (UDD) questionnaire. METHODS: A prospective trial included adult esophagectomy patients diagnosed with primary esophageal carcinoma at a single institution from 2000 to 2011. Those who remained alive in 2015 to 2021 were enrolled. Comparison was made between sequential questionnaires. RESULTS: From a prospective registry of 895 patients with esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, 297 (33%) long-term survivors were identified. Of those, 93 (31%) had recent contact data and 66 (71%) consented and completed the UDD questionnaire. Most participants, 77% (51), were men with a mean age of 57 (±7) years. The mean time from esophagectomy was 12 (8-20) years. The 66 enrolled patients completed 127 UDD questionnaires. A total of 27 (41%) completed at least 2 questionnaires. Poor performance was recorded in the 5 domains as follows: reflux, 19 patients (29%); pain, 3 patients (5%); dysphagia, 0 patients; gastrointestinal dumping, 31 patients (47%); and generalized dumping, 17 patients (26%). Between the first and second questionnaires, dysphagia had the most noticeable improvement in domain score (23/27 [85%]), and reflux had the most regression in domain score (7/27 [26%]). CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported outcome data are an integral part of esophageal cancer survivorship care. Having a standardized tool that would enhance research and standardize care pathway symptom management is needed.