Impact of Surveillance on Oncological and Quality of Life Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer Patients

A multicenter study investigated the impact of surveillance after esophageal cancer surgery on recurrence patterns, treatment, survival, and quality of life. The study found that intensive surveillance was associated with reduced symptomatic recurrence, increased tumor-directed therapy, and improved overall survival for patients who underwent surgery alone and those with early-stage or favorable pathological stage cancer. However, surveillance also caused greater anxiety. These findings may inform the development of guidelines and enhance shared decision-making in the management of esophageal cancer recurrence.