BACKGROUND Quality of life (QL) data are useful to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Accumulating evidence suggests that QL data may predict survival.

AIMS In this study we investigated if baseline QL scores and changes in QL scores before and after intervention are prognostic for patients with oesophageal cancer.

PATIENTS Between 1993 and 1995, 92 consecutive new patients with oesophageal cancer were studied; 89 were followed until death or the end of the study period (survival of seven patients was censored in May 1999).

RESULTS Cox's proportional hazards models, adjusting for associations between QL scores, age, and TNM stage, found that physical function at baseline was significantly associated with survival (p=0.002). An increase in physical function score of 10 points corresponded to a 12% reduction in the likelihood of death at any given time (95% confidence intervals 4–18%). Further exploratory multivariable analyses suggested that improvement in emotional function six months after treatment was significantly related to longer survival (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS These data provide evidence to support a relationship between patient rated scores of QL and survival. Further understanding of the associations between QL and clinical variables is needed.