793 patients’ preferences for active surveillance or standard esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy: a discrete choice experiment in patients after standard esophagectomy

Abstract Active surveillance after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced resectable esophageal cancer is currently topic of investigation. In a discrete choice experiment, patients’ preferences can be quantified by asking patients to state their preference over hypothetical treatment alternatives. The aim of the present study was to assess patients’ preferences for either active surveillance or standard esophagectomy in patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery without signs of recurrence. Methods A discrete choice experiment was performed in esophageal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by standard esophagectomy at least one year earlier. Patients completed a questionnaire consisting of eighteen choice sets considering active surveillance or standard esophagectomy. Treatment alternatives were characterized by attributes with varying attribute levels hypothesized to influence treatment choice: five-year survival, short-term and long-term health related quality of life (HRQOL), annual number of diagnostics required and the risk that esophagectomy is still necessary later in time. The importance of attributes and willingness to trade-off 5-year survival for other attributes were assessed using panel latent class model. Results A total of 107 patients were consecutively included, of whom 100 (93%) responded between August 2018 and October 2020. Regardless of the attribute levels, 28 patients preferred active surveillance and 28 patients preferred standard esophagectomy. When considering both treatments, five-year survival and long-term HRQOL were considered most important attributes. Patients were willing to trade-off 5.4% five-year overall survival to obtain a better long-term HRQOL. Conclusion At least one year after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy, over a quarter of patients would choose not to undergo standard esophagectomy again, regardless of the attribute levels. Patients were willing to trade-off five-year survival chance in order to achieve an HRQOL which was much better than their own situation. When considering both treatments, five-year survival and long-term HRQOL were the most important determinants in the choice for treatment.