Impact of Weekday of Esophagectomy on Short-term and Long-term Oncological Outcomes: A Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study in the Netherlands

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether weekday of esophagectomy impacts 30-day mortality, and short- and long-term oncologic outcomes in esophageal cancer.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Recent literature suggests a relationship between the weekday of esophagectomy and overall survival. This finding could impact clinical practice, but has not yet been validated in other studies.

METHODS: The Netherlands Cancer Registry database (2005-2013) identified all patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. The impact of weekday on 30-day mortality, the total number of resected lymph nodes, and R0 resection rates was evaluated with multivariable logistic regression analyses and for overall survival with Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS: In total, 3840 patients were included. Weekday was not significantly associated with 30-day mortality (P > 0.05), nor the total number of resected lymph nodes (P > 0.05), nor with R0 resection rates (P > 0.05). Also, weekday did not significantly influence overall survival using weekday as discrete variable [Monday-Friday, hazard ratio (HR) 0.98, P = 0.140), as 2 weekday categories (Wednesday-Friday vs Monday-Tuesday, HR 0.97, P = 0.434), or with separate weekday categories (Tuesday vs Monday, HR 0.99, P = 0.826; Wednesday vs Monday, HR 1.06, P = 0.430; Thursday vs Monday, HR 0.92, P = 0.206; Friday vs Monday, HR 0.91, P = 0.140).

CONCLUSIONS: This large population-based cohort study in the Netherlands refutes the finding from a previous report that suggests that the weekday of esophagectomy in patients diagnosed with potentially curable esophageal cancer impacts overall survival. In addition, this study demonstrates that weekday of esophagectomy does not influence other outcomes including the 30-day mortality, total number of resected lymph nodes, and R0 resection rates.