Impacts of physically active and under-active on clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer patients undergoing esophagectomy.

Physical activity has been reported to positively influence quality of life and survival in certain cancers. However, the associations between them in esophageal cancer are previously undefined. The aims of this study are to investigate whether physically active esophageal cancer patients have improved quality of life and lower risk of recurrence as well as death compared with physically inactive patients. We evaluated the relationships between postoperative leisure time physical activity and quality of life and recurrence and death among patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer. We respectively used generalized estimating equations and Cox proportional regression to analysis quality of life and survival, adjusting for known potential confounding factors. Comparing esophageal cancer patients reporting more than 9 MET hours per week of postoperative leisure time physical activity with those reporting less, we found improved quality of life. Additionally, we also found that postoperative leisure time physical activity ≥9 MET hours per week, compared with less, was associated with a 23% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.666; 95% CI, 0.481-0.921; P=0.014) and a 53% lower risk of recurrence (HR, 0.306; 95% CI 0.218-0.429; P<0.001). Leisure time physical activity was significantly associated with quality of life and risk of recurrence and death of esophageal cancer patients. Clinicians should consider increasing physical activity, regardless of previous behaviors, as a part of primary cancer treatment. The ultimate goal is to improve quality of life and prolong survival of cancer survivors.