Predicting Quality of Life After Esophagectomy: Managing Expectations

In the current era of neoadjuvant therapy followed by esophagectomy for locally advanced esophageal cancer, perioperative morbidity is well established.¹ The risk of potential morbidity informs the discussion with patients about expectations related to esophagectomy. Similarly, a body of literature related to patient-reported outcomes (PROs) providing quality of life (QOL) metrics following esophagectomy has continued to evolve to better inform patients and providers of expectations after surgery.^2,3 Overall, as outcomes for this population have improved over time, this growing body of literature has highlighted that measuring “success” in esophagectomy may include much more than oncologic metrics or perioperative morbidity. As a result, redefining successful outcomes after this operation will need to include patient QOL across several domains. Moreover, setting expectations around QOL will be essential in framing the discussion surrounding patient choice to pursue esophagectomy. …