Obesity and outcomes after esophagectomy: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Cohort studyScandinavian journal of surgery : SJS : official organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society· Jul 2026

Obesity and outcomes after esophagectomy: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Martin Löfling Skogar, Mats Lindblad, Gustav Linder

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Esophageal SurgeryCohort studyPrognosisQ2IF 1.9

Obesity was associated with lower all-cause mortality after esophagectomy for cancer.

Obesity and outcomes after esophagectomy: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Martin Löfling Skogar … Gustav Linder

Scandinavian journal of surgery · Jul 2026 · Q2 in Surgery

Background

The global prevalence of obesity is rising and has been linked to increased perioperative risks in esophageal cancer surgery, while its impact on long-term survival remains uncertain.

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) and perioperative complications and long-term survival.

Methods

Were categorized by BMI as underweight (<20), normal (20-24.9), overweight (25-30), or obese (>30).

n = 1494 patients

Results

obesity linked to lower risk of death after surgery

OR by subgroup · 95% CI

More results

Compared with patients with normal weight, obesity was not associated with increased risk of surgical complications (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.62-1.39), but obesity was linked to higher risk of non-surgical complications, including pulmonary embolism (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.10-2.45).

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Patients with obesity undergoing esophagectomy did not have higher rates of surgical complications but faced an elevated risk of non-surgical complications. Obesity appeared linked to better long-term survival.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

However, residual confounding, including potential reverse causation from pre-diagnosis weight loss, cannot be excluded.

Obesity and outcomes after esophagectomy: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Obesity and outcomes after esophagectomy: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

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