Quality of Life Assessment of Patients Receiving Treatment for Esophageal Cancer [Companion to CALGB-9781]

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the quality of life of patients with esophageal cancer randomized on protocol CALGB C9781 to treatment with surgery alone vs trimodal therapy combining preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy in addition to surgery. II. Examine the incremental cost and cost effectiveness of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer. III. Examine the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of esophageal cancer. OUTLINE: This is a companion study to CALGB C9781, a phase III randomized study. Prior to treatment on CALGB C9781, patients complete forms assessing quality of life, psychological functioning, specific areas of dysfunction, resource use, and time lost from work; subsequent assessments are completed by telephone interview at 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after the initiation of study treatment, regardless of disease status (patients with hearing impairment and those speaking only a translatable foreign language may mail responses). Patients also keep a diary of medical resource utilization at sites other than the treating institution.