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Do esophageal cancer survivors work after esophagectomy and do health problems impact their work? A cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the occupational status and work impediments due to health problems in long-term esophageal cancer survivors.

Methods

The Short-Form Health and Labour Questionnaire (SF-HLQ) was sent to esophageal cancer survivors. Primary outcomes included the number of working esophageal cancer survivors and the patient-reported impact of health problems on work, as evaluated by the SF-HLQ. Patient and treatment characteristics were compared between survivors who worked and survivors who did not work at the time of follow-up after esophagectomy.

Results

The SF-HLQ was sent to 98 survivors and was completed by 86 of them. Of the 86 included survivors, 35 worked at the time of cancer diagnosis and 18 worked at a median follow-up of 48 months [range 23–87] after treatment. Survivors who worked at the time of follow-up were younger at the time of treatment when compared to survivors who had quit working after their cancer diagnosis (58.4 vs. 64.2 years, P = 0.006). Working survivors most commonly reported reduced work pace (44%), a self-imposed need to work in seclusion (33%), and concentration problems (28%) due to health problems at work. The majority of working survivors (93%) reported an efficiency score ≥ 8 on a scale from 1 (lowest efficiency) to 10 (highest efficiency).

Conclusions

Nearly half of the esophageal cancer survivors who worked at the time of diagnosis also worked at a median follow-up of 48 months after esophagectomy. Despite health problems impacting work, most esophageal cancer survivors reported high efficiency at work.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Esophageal cancer survivors can often work with high efficiency, despite potential health problems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    B. F. Kingma, P. Rauwerdink, H. J. F. Brenkman, J. P. Ruurda & R. van Hillegersberg

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  1. B. F. Kingma
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  2. P. Rauwerdink
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  3. H. J. F. Brenkman
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Correspondence to B. F. Kingma or R. van Hillegersberg.

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Conflict of interest

The authors R. van Hillegersberg and J.P. Ruurda are proctors for Intuitive Surgical Inc. (Sunnyvale, California, USA). The authors have no potential conflicts of interests.

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Kingma, B.F., Rauwerdink, P., Brenkman, H.J.F. et al. Do esophageal cancer survivors work after esophagectomy and do health problems impact their work? A cross-sectional study. J Cancer Surviv 14, 253–260 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-00834-1

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