Oesophageal cancer patients with an apparent complete response after chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and who choose not to have surgery, have a similar outcome to patients choosing surgery, new RCSI research has found.

The study examined the outcome choice for patients with cancer of the oesophagus and showed that forgoing surgery may be the better option for older patients.

The research was inspired by a patient of Prof Thomas Walsh, emeritus professor of surgery at RCSI, who prompted him to involve patients more directly in decision-making about surgery after other cancer treatments. 

Prof Walsh said: "The inspiration came from a lovely lady, Eileen, who listened to me patiently when I told her that I would arrange for chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and I would then operate on her. But she said ‘No, you won’t!  You will give me chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but you won’t operate. Because my sister had the same tumour, and had a very good response to the treatment, but then they operated, and she died’.” 

“So, I respected her choice and followed her up very closely. She was 74 then and lived another 17 years before dying of natural causes. I’m glad I listened to her.” 

 The study was published in the British Journal of Surgery.