Study of symptom clusters in brain tumor patients 2 weeks after craniotomy

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to identify potential symptom clusters among primary brain tumor patients using factor analysis. Understanding these clusters enables better-targeted interventions post-craniotomy.

METHODS

A total of 211 participants visiting Department of Neurosurgery at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital for proposed surgical treatment between January 2021 and March 2022 were enrolled. Two weeks after craniotomy, the patients' symptoms were measured using MDASI-BT (M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Brain Tumor Module), and factor analysis was performed to identify symptom clusters.

RESULTS

A total of three symptom clusters, i.e., symptom cluster 1, symptom cluster 2, and symptom cluster 3, were identified. Among them, symptom cluster 1 represented the fatigue-related symptom cluster, including fatigue, lethargy, dry mouth, pain, and sleep disturbance (Cronbach's α = 0.742); symptom cluster 2 represented the gut-brain axis symptom cluster, including loss of appetite, weakness in one side of the body, and change in bowel habits (Cronbach's α = 0.532); and symptom cluster 3 represented the self-image symptom cluster, including change in appearance, sadness, and distress (Cronbach's α = 0.547).

CONCLUSION

This study identified three potential symptom clusters among primary brain tumor patients. Understanding these clusters could well contribute to earlier interventions and improved quality of care.

Symptom management in adult brain tumours: A literature review

AIM

To review the literature related to symptom management, clinical significance and related theoretical framework systems in adult patients with brain tumours.

BACKGROUND

As understanding of symptoms or symptom clusters and underlying biologic mechanisms has grown, it is apparent that symptom science is moving forward. Although some progress has been made in the symptom science of solid tumours such as breast and lung neoplasms, insufficient attention has been paid to symptom management for patients suffering from brain tumours. Further research is needed to achieve effective symptom management for these patients.

DESIGN

A literature review with a systematic search of symptom management in adult brain tumours.

METHODS

Electronic data bases were searched to obtain relevant published literature on symptom management in adults with brain tumours. This was then analysed and a synthesis of relevant findings is presented.

FINDINGS

Four significant general themes relating to symptom management of brain tumours in adults were identified: (1) The potential theoretical foundation related to symptom management was revealed. (2) Widely accepted validated scales or questionnaires for the assessment of single symptoms or symptom clusters were recommended. (3) Several symptom clusters and the underlying biologic mechanisms have been reported. (4) Specific symptom interventions for adults with brain tumours were collected and classified as evidence-based or insufficient evidence.

CONCLUSION

There are still many challenges in the effective management of symptoms in adults with brain tumours. The guiding role of theoretical frameworks or models related to symptom management should be utilized in future research. Using the concept of symptom clustering for research into symptoms found in patients with brain tumours, exploring common biological mechanisms for specific symptom clusters and making full use of modern big data resources to build a strong evidence base for an effective intervention or management program may inform the management of symptoms among these patients leading to better results.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This is a literature review.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT

The ultimate goal is obviously not only improving the survival rate of patients with brain tumours, but also enhancing their quality of life. Several important findings from our review include the theoretical foundations, validated assessment tools, the assessment of symptom clusters and the underlying biologic mechanism, and the identification of the evidence base for symptom interventions. These are of relevance for managers, researchers and practitioners and may function as a reference to help the effective symptom management for adults with brain tumours.

Symptom clusters change over time among patients with gynecological cancer receiving chemotherapy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore symptom clusters at different time points among patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

METHODS

A longitudinal design was used to explore the patterns of symptom clusters four times: during prechemotherapy (T0), first (T1), second (T2), and third (T3) cycles of chemotherapy. The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale was used to assess the dimension of symptoms. The study was conducted in Indonesia. Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze the structures of symptom clusters across time.

RESULTS

A total of 120 subjects provided baseline data, and 82 were retained at T3. Before chemotherapy, the most prevalent symptoms were pain and difficulty in sleeping. However, after starting chemotherapy, the patients suffered from chemotherapy-related side effects, including nausea, change in taste, lack of appetite, hair loss, fatigue, and feeling of "I don't look like myself." Six symptom clusters were identified in patients with gynecological cancer across four time points during chemotherapy: pain-related, nutritional, emotional, hormonal-related, fatigue-related, and body-image symptom clusters. Nutrition and emotion symptom clusters occurred consistently from T0 to T3, fatigue-related clusters appeared after chemotherapy at T1 and T2, and body-image symptom clusters emerged at late T2 and T3.

CONCLUSION

The structures of symptom clusters in this study were dynamic and various. The nutrition and emotional-related symptoms constituted a cluster during chemotherapy. Oncology nurses should provide physical and psychosocial interventions to relieve these symptoms in patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Self-reported late effect symptom clusters among young pediatric cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Most survivors of childhood cancer experience subsequent chronic conditions but little is known about concurrent symptoms. This study seeks to identify late effect symptom clusters among young pediatric cancer survivors.

METHODS

Survivors ≥ 18 or parents of survivors < 18 years enrolled in an institutional cohort study indicated (yes/no) if they experienced certain symptoms after treatment. The sample was randomly divided in half for exploratory factor analyses to identify symptom clusters followed by confirmatory factor analyses. Symptoms with ≥ 10% prevalence were included. Cluster structure generalizability across subgroups was examined using congruence coefficients.

RESULTS

The sample included 579 survivors (74% non-Hispanic white, 45% leukemia, 12.8 ± 4.5 years at survey, 5.9 ± 3.5 years since therapy). Respondents averaged three symptoms. Three clusters were identified: (1) gastrointestinal: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting (Cronbach's α = 0.74); (2) psychological: depression, anxiety, memory problems, anger management problems, sleep problems (α = 0.71); and (3) neurologic: problems walking, numbness/tingling, fatigue, back pain, chronic pain, weakness/inability to move legs (α = 0.71). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-cluster structure (standardized root mean square residual: 0.09; parsimonious goodness of fit: 0.96; Bentler-Bonett normed fit index: 0.95). The gastrointestinal and psychological clusters were generalizable across most subgroups while the neurologic cluster varied across age and race/ethnicity subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Three distinct late effect symptom clusters were identified in young childhood cancer survivors with gastrointestinal and psychological clusters remaining relatively stable across subgroups. Future studies should focus on the characteristics of patients who experience these symptoms, especially those with high symptom burden, and the synergistic impact on quality of life.

Symptom Profiles of Latina Breast Cancer Survivors: A Latent Class Analysis

BACKGROUND

Symptom research among Latinas with breast cancer is limited-especially as it relates to multiple co-occurring symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to identify subgroups (latent classes) of Latinas who have distinct symptom profiles while receiving radiation, chemotherapy, and/or hormonal therapy for breast cancer.

METHODS

This secondary analysis included intake data from three randomized trials of supportive care psychosocial interventions for Latinas treated for breast cancer (n = 290). Prevalence of 12 symptoms-measured using the General Symptom Distress Scale-was entered into the latent class analysis to identify classes of women with different symptom profiles.

RESULTS

Most of the participants had Stage II or III disease, and 81% reported receiving chemotherapy. On average, women reported 4.2 (standard deviation [SD] = 3) symptoms with an overall symptom distress score of 6.4 (SD = 2.5) on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being most distressing. Latent class analysis resulted in three classes that were labeled based on symptoms with the highest prevalence. Class 1 (n = 192) was "Disrupted Sleep and Tired," Class 2 (n = 74) was "Tired," and Class 3 (n = 24) was "Pain, Disrupted Sleep, and Tired." Depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating had moderate prevalence in each of the three classes.

DISCUSSION

Beyond the core six symptoms (depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, disrupted sleep, difficulty concentration), the classes differed in the prevalence of other burdensome symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, constipation), which provide implications for treatment. Thus, it is important to assess for the full range of symptoms so that supportive care interventions can be tailored for the distinct symptom profiles of Latinas with breast cancer.

Symptom response analysis of a randomized controlled trial of reflexology for symptom management among women with advanced breast cancer

PURPOSE

To examine symptom responses resulting from a home-based reflexology intervention delivered by a friend/family caregivers to women with advanced breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, targeted, and/or hormonal therapy.

METHODS

Patient-caregiver dyads (N = 256) were randomized to 4 weekly reflexology sessions or attention control. Caregivers in the intervention group were trained by a reflexology practitioner in a 30-min protocol. During the 4 weeks, both groups completed telephone symptom assessments using the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory. Those who completed at least one weekly call were included in this secondary analysis (N = 209). Each symptom was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe using established interference-based cut-points. Symptom response meant an improvement by at least one category or remaining mild. Symptom responses were treated as multiple events within patients and analyzed using generalized estimating equations technique.

RESULTS

Reflexology was more successful than attention control in producing responses for pain (OR = 1.84, 95% CI (1.05, 3.23), p = 0.03), with no significant differences for other symptoms. In the reflexology group, greater probability of response across all symptoms was associated with lower number of comorbid condition and lower depressive symptomatology at baseline. Compared to odds of responses on pain (chosen as a referent symptom), greater odds of symptom response were found for disturbed sleep and difficulty remembering with older aged participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Home-based caregiver-delivered reflexology was helpful in decreasing patient-reported pain. Age, comorbid conditions, and depression are potentially important tailoring factors for future research and can be used to identify patients who may benefit from reflexology.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01582971.

Estimating the Frequency, Severity, and Clustering of SPADE Symptoms in Chronic Painful Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing treatment for cancer commonly experience symptoms such as sleep disturbance, pain, anxiety, depression, and low energy/fatigue (SPADE), subsequently altering physical function and complicating effective symptom management. However, little is known about the frequency, severity, and clustering of SPADE symptoms in individuals with chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Aims/Design: The purpose of this cross-sectional, secondary analysis was to describe the frequency, severity, and clustering of SPADE symptoms and their association with physical function in individuals with chronic painful CIPN. Participants/Subjects: Sixty individuals with chronic painful CIPN were recruited from five academic and community oncology outpatient center to participate in a randomized controlled pilot trial designed to test the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral therapy-based pain management program.

METHODS

Participants completed the 0-10 Average CIPN Pain Numerical Rating Scale and Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures for sleep-related impairment, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain interference via tablet before being randomly assigned to a study arm. The frequency, severity, and clustering of SPADE symptoms were calculated via descriptive statistics and Partitioning Around Medoids cluster analysis. Spearman rank correlation was performed to determine the association between number of SPADE symptoms and pain interference severity.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Participants (n = 59) experienced numerous SPADE symptoms. 66.1% of participants experienced at least two SPADE symptoms concurrently. The cluster analysis revealed high (n = 36) and low (n = 23) severity subgroups. There was a moderate correlation (r = 0.48) between the number of SPADE symptoms and pain interference severity. Determining the clustering of SPADE symptoms in individuals with chronic painful CIPN may lead to targeted multifaceted interventions to improve physical function.

A Longitudinal Study of PROMIS Pediatric Symptom Clusters in Children Undergoing Chemotherapy

CONTEXT

Children in treatment for cancer experience multiple, troubling, and interrelated symptoms. Analyzing the interrelatedness of symptoms and how that changes during treatment could yield clinically relevant patient profiles to guide patient care.

OBJECTIVES

The aims were to identify pediatric profiles with respect to Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System^® (PROMIS^®; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health) symptom measures, changes in profile status throughout a chemotherapy cycle, and if a baseline single-item fatigue measure could significantly predict symptom profile status and its changes.

METHODS

In a longitudinal, single-site, three data point (T1, T2, and T3) design, children between 8 and 18 years completed the PROMIS Pediatric short form measures for fatigue, depression, anxiety, and pain and one fatigue item from the Symptom Distress Scale. Latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

About 96 children participated; 58.3% were between 13 and 18 years, and 54.2% were males. Two latent profiles (less severe symptoms and severe symptoms) were identified. The prevalence of the severe symptom profile remained relatively unchanged from T1 to T2 but significantly declined at T3. The baseline single-item fatigue score significantly predicted the child's profile membership and its changes.

CONCLUSION

Children experiencing troubling symptoms during cancer treatment are heterogeneous. With respect to the PROMIS symptom measures, two a priori unknown distinct latent profiles of patients were identified in a course of chemotherapy, and the transitions in the profile status were significantly predicted by a baseline single-item fatigue measure.

Measures and Methods for Symptom and Symptom Cluster Assessment in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer

OBJECTIVES

To provide an overview of resources for measuring symptoms and symptom clusters in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer and to examine methodological strategies for evaluating symptom clusters.

DATA SOURCES

Published research articles and clinical experience.

CONCLUSION

Limited research has addressed symptoms and symptom clusters in AYAs with cancer. Reliable, valid, and developmentally appropriate measures are needed to advance this area of research.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Use of mobile technology and mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to understand AYAs' experience of symptoms and symptom clusters could enhance symptom awareness and the evidence base for practice.