Family history of cancer is a prognostic factor for better survival in operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A propensity score matching analysis

LAY SUMMARY: Patients with a family history of cancer, especially digestive tract cancer and esophageal cancer, a family history of cancer in the first degree, and more than one relative affected by cancer were associated with favorable survival when compared to those without a family history of cancer. PRECIS FOR USE IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS: A family history of cancer is a favorable independent prognostic factor in ESCC. Patients with a family history of cancer, especially digestive tract cancer and esophageal cancer, a family history of cancer in the first degree, and more than one relative affected by cancer were associated with favorable survival when compared to those without a family history of cancer. BACKGROUND: A family history of cancer (FH) is closely associated with the risk and survival of many cancers. However, the effect of FH on the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. We performed a large cohort study in the Chinese population to obtain insight into the prognostic value of FH in patients with operable ESCC. METHODS: A total of 1,322 consecutive patients with thoracic ESCC who had undergone esophagectomy between January 1997 and December 2013 were included. The FH group included patients with any degree of FH, while the non-FH group included patients without any degree of FH. In total, 215 patients with FH and 215 without FH were matched using the propensity score matching analysis method to adjust for differences in baseline variables between the two groups. The impact of FH on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox’s proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Before matching, 280 (21.2%) patients were included in the FH group and 1,042 (78.8%) in the non-FH group. FH was associated with early pathological T stage (p = 0.001), lymph node-negative status (p = 0.022), and early pathological stage (p = 0.006). After matching, FH was an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS in ESCC patients. Patients with FH had 35% lower risk of disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.51–0.84, p = 0.001) and 34% lower risk of death (HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51–0.86, p = 0.002) than those without FH. Patients with a family history of digestive tract cancer (FH-DC), a family history of esophageal cancer (FH-EC), FH in first-degree relatives (FH-FD), and more than one relative affected by cancer were associated with favorable DFS and OS as compared to those without FH. CONCLUSION: FH is a favorable independent prognostic factor in ESCC. Patients with FH, especially those with FH-DC, FH-EC, FH-FD, and more than one relative affected by cancer, had improved survival.