[Evaluation of nutritional ability and nutritional condition in patients with esophageal cancer]

Esophageal cancer is an extremely malignant disease with a 5-year survival rate of just over 20%. The 7% survival measured in Hungary is notably low on a global scale, mainly due to the late detection of tumors and consequently delayed initiation of oncological treatment.

Our aim was to obtain a more precise understanding of the general and nutritional status, as well as the nutritional capacity and their impact on survival of Hungarian patients at diagnosis by reviewing the patient population treated at our clinic.

A retrospective data analysis was performed on 183 patients treated at the Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology at Semmelweis University between 2006 and 2021.

Our study demonstrated a strong correlation between the degree of dysphagia (p = 0.001) and the duration of symptomatic weeks (p = 0.001) with the extent of weight loss. Furthermore, the degree of weight loss and the rate of dysphagia progression significantly influenced overall survival. Patients with weight loss exceeding 10 kg had less than half the overall survival compared to those with less than 10 kg weight loss (1347 vs. 560 days, p = 0.01). Rapid progression corresponded to an average survival of 413 days, whereas patients with slow worsening swallowing difficulties survived for an average of 1138 days (p = 0.006). Among patients with adenocarcinoma, weight loss was more pronounced (p = 0.05), although this did not translate into a significant survival difference.

Compared to international data, our findings suggest a considerably worse condition of Hungarian patients, implying a multifactorial problem.

Improving disease survival requires addressing numerous challenges from public health through primary care to specialized treatment centers. Increasing patient awareness, early identification and evaluation of those presenting with swallowing difficulties, early detection of nutritional risk, and immediate appropriate intervention are of fundamental importance. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(2): 58-64.