Eighteen studies (n=2,843 patients) were included in the review: two RCTs, nine longitudinal studies and seven cross-sectional studies. Study sample size ranged from 53 to 458 participants. Length of follow-up in robust studies ranged from six to 60 months. Sixteen studies were deemed to have a robust design and were included in the narrative synthesis (n=2,555 patients).
Three of the 16 robust studies indicated that health-related quality of life outcomes influenced treatment recommendations. Eleven studies, which included the former three studies, inferred that health-related quality of life measures influenced informed consent. The other five studies did not demonstrate that health-related quality of life outcomes influenced treatment recommendations or informed consent.
In 10 robust studies, patients reported a global deterioration in most aspects of health-related quality of life after oesophagectomy that took approximately nine to 12 months to recover to baseline values.