Integration of MSK-FI and clinical variables to predict postoperative complications after esophagectomy

Background: Frailty is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and is recognized as an important predictor of prognosis. Yet, practical frailty-based tools to assess the risk of postoperative complications after radical esophagectomy are still inadequate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive performance of the Memorial Sloan Kettering-Frailty Index (MSK-FI) and to establish a more comprehensive model for forecasting postoperative complications in this patient population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 410 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy between 2022 and 2023. Preoperative frailty status of these patients was calculated using MSK-FI. Patients were accordingly classified as frail (MSK-FI ≥2, n=86) or non-frail (MSK-FI