Presence of symptom clusters in surgically treated patients with esophageal cancer: implications for survival.

BACKGROUND: It is not known whether symptoms cluster together after esophageal cancer surgery or whether such symptom clusters are associated with survival in patients with esophageal cancer who are treated surgically.
METHODS: Data from a prospective Swedish nationwide cohort study of surgically treated patients with esophageal cancer recruited between 2001 and 2005 were used. General and esophageal cancer-specific symptoms were assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire and the QLQ-OES18 module at 6 months after surgery. Associations between symptom clusters and survival were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models, providing hazards ratios with 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for other known prognostic factors.
RESULTS: Among 402 patients reporting symptoms 6 months after surgery, 3 symptom clusters were identified. The first symptom cluster (“fatigue/pain”) was characterized by symptoms of pain, fatigue, insomnia, and dyspnea and was present in 30% of patients. The second symptom cluster (“reflux/cough”) was characterized by symptoms of dry mouth, problems with taste, coughing, and reflux and was present in 27% of patients. The third symptom cluster (“eating difficulties”) was characterized by appetite loss, dysphagia, eating difficulties, and nausea/vomiting and was present in 28% of patients. The presence of the reflux/cough and eating difficulties symptom clusters was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of mortality (adjusted hazards ratio, 1.43 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.89] and adjusted HR, 1.41 [95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.87], respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms experienced by surgically treated patients with esophageal cancer appear to cluster together, and the presence of these symptom clusters appears to have strong prognostic value.