The impact of late effects after surgery for oesophago-gastric cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of late effects on outcomes following surgery for gastric and oesophageal cancer
IRAS ID
369107
Contact name
Shahd Mobarak
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Oesophageal and gastric (OG) cancers affect the food pipe and stomach. Surgery offers the best chance of cure, but many people experience long-term problems after treatment, such as difficulties with eating, tiredness, weight loss, pain and changes to emotional wellbeing. These problems, often called “late effects”, can last for months or years and may have a major impact on quality of life. At present, research and NHS services focus mainly on short-term complications and survival, and there is no agreed way of measuring long-term recovery that reflects what matters most to patients.
This research aims to improve how recovery after OG cancer surgery is understood and measured. It will answer three key questions: how often do long-term problems occur after surgery, how do they impact on patients' lives and which outcomes matter most to patients when deciding whether their treatment has been successful.
The study will involve inviting mall group of patients who had surgery for OG cancer at least one year ago to take part in an interview. These interviews will allow patients to talk about their experiences of recovery, long-term effects of treatment, and what they feel defines a good outcome after surgery.
Eligible participants for interviews are adults who have had surgery for oesophageal or gastric cancer with the aim of cure. Interviews will take place either at an NHS hospital or Macmillan patient centre or remotely by video or telephone call and will last approximately 60 minutes.
The findings will be used to develop a more patient-centred way of measuring recovery after OG cancer surgery, with the aim of improving follow-up care and support for future patients. The study is being conducted within the NHS and is part of a PhD research programme.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
26/WA/0170
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion