Dysphagia scores significantly impact survival in esophageal cancer patients.

A study involving 302 patients with advanced resectable esophageal cancer revealed that preoperative dysphagia scores are crucial prognostic factors for survival outcomes. Patients with higher dysphagia scores (2-4) exhibited significantly poorer disease-free and overall survival rates compared to those with scores of 0-1. Specifically, 5-year disease-free survival rates decreased from 52.9% to 26.7% as scores worsened, and postoperative recurrence rates escalated significantly among higher dysphagia groups, underscoring its prognostic value.