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Active, not recruitingNCT06031155SECCUpdated Sep 11, 2023

Swedish Esophageal and Cardia Cancer Study

An observational study in Oesophageal Cancer, Surgery and Survivorship, sponsored by Karolinska Institutet. Active, not recruiting. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-09-11.

Sponsored by Karolinska Institutet · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2025, 10 months ago, but the record still lists the study as active, not recruiting.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
616
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The overall objective of this nationwide Swedish project is to identify strategies that can help reduce the suffering and improve the survivorship among patients surgically treated for oesophageal cancer. This objective can be accomplished by a broad research approach that aims to:

  1. describe health-related quality of life (HRQL)
  2. identify risk factors and preventive actions for poor HRQL
Read the detailed description

This is a Swedish nationwide, prospective, and population-based cohort including 90% of all patients operated on for esophageal or gastroesophageal junctional cancer in Sweden between 1st April 2001 and 31st December 2005. Detailed clinical data were continuously collected from medical records based on a predefined study protocol to ensure uniformity. The clinical data collected included patient and tumor characteristics, treatment details, and follow-up on complications. Patients were followed up with health-related quality of life (HRQL) questionnaires. The core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to measure aspects of HRQL and symptoms that are applicable for cancer patient in general, whereas the esophageal cancer-specific module (EORTC QLQ-OES18) measured symptoms common among esophageal cancer patients. HRQL was assessed 6 months, 3, 5, 10 and 15 years after surgery while the 20-year follow-up is ongoing. All questionnaires were self-administered, delivered by mail and up to three reminders were sent if required. Collection of HRQL data was obtained anonymously (patients sent their answers to a central administration and not to the treating department). The all-cause and disease-specific mortality was assessed by linkage to the Causes of Death Registry. Informed consent was obtained from each participant.

02

Conditions studied

  • Oesophageal Cancer
  • Surgery
  • Survivorship
  • Quality of Life
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Karolinska Institutet is the lead sponsor of 1,113 studies on the registry; 267 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This study included patients having been curatively treated, including surgical resection (esophagectomy), for esophageal or gastroesophageal junctional cancer (adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma) between April 2, 2001 and December 31, 2005.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients who are alive and able to participate in the project 6 months following surgery for oesophageal cancer are eligible to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with cognitive impairment, who are unable to complete the measures in Swedish or are too unwell to complete the assessment, are excluded from the study.
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
616 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. General health-related quality of life (HRQL)

    The questionnaire used to measure general HRQL was the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). This 30-item cancer-specific questionnaire includes one global quality of life scale, five functional scales (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social function), three symptom scales (fatigue, nausea, and pain), and six single symptom items (dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, and financial difficulties). The questionnaire scores were transformed into 0-100 scales. Higher scores in the global quality of life scale, functional scales, and HRQL summary score represent better HRQL or function, while higher scores in the symptom scales or items correspond to more symptoms. Missing data were handled according to the EORTC scoring manual.

    Time frame: 6 months, 3, 5, 10,15 and 20 years

  2. Disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQL)

    The questionnaire used to measure general HRQL was the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Oesophageal Cancer Module 18 questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-OES18). This is an 18-item well-validated questionnaire measuring esophageal cancer-specific symptoms. It comprises four multi-item scales (dysphagia, eating difficulties, reflux, and pain) and six single items (trouble swallowing saliva, choking when swallowing, dry mouth, trouble with taste, trouble with coughing, and trouble talking). The response alternatives make up a four-point Likert scale: \[1\] 'Not at all', \[2\] 'A little', \[3\] 'Quite a bit' and \[4\] 'Very much'. The responses were transformed into a score within the range of 0-100. High scores in scales and single items represent high level of symptoms. Missing data were handled according to the EORTC scoring manual.

    Time frame: 6 months, 3, 5, 10,15 and 20 years

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 11, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06031155
Lead sponsor
Karolinska Institutet
Responsible party
Jesper Lagergren (Professor of Surgery, Karolinska Institutet) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 11, 2023
Start date
Apr 2001
Primary completion
Dec 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 11, 2023

Study contacts

Pernilla Lagergren, PhD
principal investigator · Karolinska Institutet

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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