Hsin-Tien Hsu1, Kuan-Chia Lin2, Li-Min Wu1, Chiung-Hui Juan3, Ming-Feng Hou4, Shiow-Li Hwang5, Yi Liu6, Marylin J Dodd7. 1. College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2. Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Community Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 4. College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 5. Department of Nursing, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan. 6. College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: gn94yliu@kmu.edu.tw. 7. School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Breast cancer patients often experience multiple symptoms and substantial discomfort. Some symptoms may occur simultaneously and throughout the duration of chemotherapy treatment. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate symptom severity and symptom cluster trajectories during chemotherapy in outpatients with breast cancer in Taiwan. METHODS: This prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures study administered a standardized questionnaire (M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Taiwan version) to 103 breast cancer patients during each day of the third 21-day cycle of chemotherapy. Latent class growth analysis was performed to examine symptom cluster trajectories. RESULTS: Three symptom clusters were identified within the first 14 days of the 21-day chemotherapy cycle: the neurocognition cluster (pain, shortness of breath, vomiting, memory problems, and numbness/tingling) with a trajectory of Y = 2.09 - 0.11 (days), the emotion-nausea cluster (nausea, disturbed sleep, distress/upset, drowsiness, and sadness) with a trajectory ofY = 3.57 - 0.20 (days), and the fatigue-anorexia cluster (fatigue, lack of appetite, and dry mouth) with a trajectory of Y = 4.22 - 0.21 (days). The "fatigue-anorexia cluster" and "emotion-nausea cluster" peaked at moderate levels on chemotherapy days 3-5, and then gradually decreased to mild levels within the first 14 days of the 21-day chemotherapy cycle. CONCLUSION: Distinct symptom clusters were observed during the third cycle of chemotherapy. Systematic and ongoing evaluation of symptom cluster trajectories during cancer treatment is essential. Healthcare providers can use these findings to enhance communication with their breast cancer patients and to prioritize symptoms that require attention and intervention.
CONTEXT: Breast cancerpatients often experience multiple symptoms and substantial discomfort. Some symptoms may occur simultaneously and throughout the duration of chemotherapy treatment. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate symptom severity and symptom cluster trajectories during chemotherapy in outpatients with breast cancer in Taiwan. METHODS: This prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures study administered a standardized questionnaire (M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Taiwan version) to 103 breast cancerpatients during each day of the third 21-day cycle of chemotherapy. Latent class growth analysis was performed to examine symptom cluster trajectories. RESULTS: Three symptom clusters were identified within the first 14 days of the 21-day chemotherapy cycle: the neurocognition cluster (pain, shortness of breath, vomiting, memory problems, and numbness/tingling) with a trajectory of Y = 2.09 - 0.11 (days), the emotion-nausea cluster (nausea, disturbed sleep, distress/upset, drowsiness, and sadness) with a trajectory ofY = 3.57 - 0.20 (days), and the fatigue-anorexia cluster (fatigue, lack of appetite, and dry mouth) with a trajectory of Y = 4.22 - 0.21 (days). The "fatigue-anorexia cluster" and "emotion-nausea cluster" peaked at moderate levels on chemotherapy days 3-5, and then gradually decreased to mild levels within the first 14 days of the 21-day chemotherapy cycle. CONCLUSION: Distinct symptom clusters were observed during the third cycle of chemotherapy. Systematic and ongoing evaluation of symptom cluster trajectories during cancer treatment is essential. Healthcare providers can use these findings to enhance communication with their breast cancerpatients and to prioritize symptoms that require attention and intervention.
Authors: Allison R Webel; Amanda L Willig; Wei Liu; Abdus Sattar; Stephen Boswell; Heidi M Crane; Peter Hunt; Mari Kitahata; W Christopher Matthews; Michael S Saag; Michael M Lederman; Benigno Rodriguez Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2019-03
Authors: Winnie K W So; Bernard M H Law; Marques S N Ng; Xiaole He; Dorothy N S Chan; Carmen W H Chan; Alexandra L McCarthy Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2021-03-21 Impact factor: 4.452
Authors: Jinghao Liu; Xingyu Liu; Ming Dong; Honglin Zhao; Mei Li; Hongbing Zhang; Huihui Ji; Yi Shi; Yajie Cui; Di Wu; Gang Chen; Jun Chen Journal: Thorac Cancer Date: 2021-01-25 Impact factor: 3.500