scholarly journals Symptoms and symptom clusters in adolescents with cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-24
Author(s):  
Remziye Semerci ◽  
Melahat Akgunmela Kostak ◽  
Tuba Eren ◽  
Filiz Savran ◽  
Gulcan Avci
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Paediatric Oncology ◽  
Symptom Clusters ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Cancer Experience ◽  
Oncology Unit ◽  
Adolescent Inpatients

Abstract Clinical specialists have suggested that adolescents with cancer experience multiple problems including physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms. This study aimed to identify symptoms and symptoms clusters among adolescent inpatients and outpatients receiving cancer treatment. The study’s sample consisted of 26 adolescents who were selected with the purposeful sampling method in a paediatric oncology unit in Edirne, Turkey. Data were collected using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS). From the results of the research, in terms of symptoms, outpatients reported a greater lack of concentration than inpatients did. Inpatients reported more hair loss and weight loss symptoms than outpatients. Adolescent inpatients and outpatients experienced the most symptoms during the treatment. Inpatient adolescents experienced more acute treatment-related symptoms than did outpatients. The study recommends regular monitoring and screening for nurses to identify symptom and symptom clusters. Keywords: Adolescent; nursing; symptom cluster; symptom assessment; cancer;  

Symptom clustering among patients visiting a supportive oncology clinic.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 188-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn C. Wrammert ◽  
Gwendolynn Harrell ◽  
Michael O'Neill ◽  
Anjali Grandhige ◽  
Danielle Moulia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Symptom Clusters ◽  
Cancer Symptoms ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Supportive Oncology ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Absolute Correlation

188 Background: Multiple symptoms are common and often severe in patients with cancer. Identification of symptoms which cluster may serve to elucidate the pathophysiology of the disease and aid in symptom management. Our aim was to define symptom clusters occurring among cancer outpatients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: New and returning patients referred to a supportive oncology clinic (SOC) from our health system’s oncologists from November 2011 through May 2014 completed the Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale plus a sexual dysfunction structured assessment. Data were collected prospectively from 323 consecutive initial visits. Patients rated from 0-4 how bothersome 15 cancer symptoms were; symptoms were then graded as present (1+) or absent (0). Hierarchical cluster analysis with average linkage was used to identify symptom clusters. The absolute value of the correlation between symptoms was used as the measure of similarity between pairs of symptoms. A correlation of ≥0.6 was used to define the final clusters. A symptom cluster was defined as two or more symptoms that predictably occur together. Results: Three clusters were identified: 1. Psychological (worrying, feeling sad, feeling nervous); 2. Treatment-related (lack of energy, feeling drowsy, difficulty concentrating, dry mouth, constipation); 3. Gastrointestinal (weight loss, lack of appetite, nausea). Pain, difficulty sleeping, shortness of breath, and loss of interest did not cluster with any symptom. Gastrointestinal symptoms are important within the clusters. The prevalence of worrying, feeling sad, and feeling nervous did not cluster with lack of energy or difficulty in sleeping, nor pain with worrying or feeling sad. Conclusions: Three symptom clusters were identified as showing high absolute correlation: a psychological cluster, treatment-related cluster, and gastrointestinal cluster. Identifying symptom clusters may promote our understanding of the pathophysiology of cancer, help prioritize effective pharmacotherapies, and identify drugs likely to help more than one symptom.

Stability of symptom clusters in patients with gastrointestinal cancers receiving chemotherapy.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (27_suppl) ◽  
pp. 193-193
Author(s):  
Claire J. Han ◽  
Kerryn Reding ◽  
Bruce A. Cooper ◽  
Steven M. Paul ◽  
Yvette Conley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Change ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Symptom Clusters ◽  
Symptom Dimensions ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Gi Cancers ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Over Time

193 Background: Patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers who undergo chemotherapy (CTX) experience on average of thirteen symptoms. These co-occurring symptoms often cluster together and can influence various patient outcomes including quality of life (QOL). However, little evidence is available on how these symptoms change during a cycle of chemotherapy (CTX). An evaluation of how these symptom cluster together and how these symptom clusters change over time may provide useful information to guide symptom management strategies tailored to multiple symptoms. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify and compare symptom clusters using three symptom dimensions (i.e., occurrence, severity, and distress) at different time points during CTX (i.e., prior to CTX [T1], one week after CTX administration [T2], and two weeks after CTX administration [T3]) in patients with GI cancers. Methods: A modified version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale was used to assess the occurrence, severity, and distress of 38 symptoms. Exploratory factor analyses were used to create the symptom clusters. Results: Five distinct symptom clusters were identified across the three symptom dimensions and the three assessments (i.e., psychological, CTX-related, weight change, GI, and epithelial). Psychological, CTX-related and weight change clusters were relatively stable for all three symptom dimensions as well as across time. GI cluster was identified only at T1, while epithelial cluster was identified at T2 and T3 for all three symptom dimensions. Conclusions: The number and types of symptom clusters appear to be relatively stable over time and across the symptom dimensions. Timely management of symptom clusters should be continued over the course of CTX including the recovery phases. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of symptom clusters in patients with GI cancers undergoing CTX.

Equivalência semântica da versão em português do instrumento Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) para avaliar sintomas em pacientes oncológicos

1969 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Fernandes Da Rocha ◽  
Monique da Silva Carvalho ◽  
Ana Amélia Moraes de Lacerda ◽  
Áila Ferreira Vizeu Viana ◽  
Raquel de Souza Ramos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Semantic Equivalence ◽  
Portuguese Version ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale

Semantic equivalence of the Portuguese version ofthe Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) to evaluate symptoms in cancer patients

Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale--Swedish Version

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Browall ◽  
Elisabeth Kenne Sarenmalm ◽  
Salmir Nasic ◽  
Yvonne Wengström ◽  
Fannie Gaston-Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Swedish Version ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale

Symptom Management in Palliative Medicine

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy J Selvaggi ◽  
Janet L Abrahm
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Management ◽  
Symptom Control ◽  
Hot Flashes ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Symptomatic Treatment ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Transdermal Fentanyl ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale

Palliative care is an interdisciplinary specialty focused on providing comfort, communication, and support for patients, families, and professional caregivers throughout the course of a life-limiting illness. This chapter discusses assessment and treatment of symptoms and disorders that commonly contribute to patient distress during these illnesses: pain, disorders of the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, skin disorders, hot flashes, fatigue, pruritis, insomnia, and delirium. This chapter reviews care of the imminently dying patient, discusses methods for assessing patients' symptoms, and provides two examples of valid and reliable symptom measurement systems: the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Achieving symptom control requires the physician to assess patient suffering in all dimensions: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. The extent of the assessment may be modified, however, based on patients’ prognosis as well as their goals and the burden and benefit of the diagnostic intervention. A 10-step protocol for terminal wean is presented. Signs that patients are entering their final days and symptom management in the last hours of a patient's life are discussed. Tables list the modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale; the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale; the DOLOPLUS-2 scale (behavioral pain assessment in the elderly); relative potencies of commonly used opioids; conversions between the transdermal fentanyl patch and morphine; symptomatic treatment for dyspnea, cough, and hiccups; pharmacologic treatment of nausea and vomiting; a progressive bowel regimen for patients receiving opioid therapy; treatments for constipation; etiology-based treatment for oral problems; risk factors for pressure ulcers; and applicable medications for physical and psychological sources of distress near the end of life. This review contains 12 tables and 120 references

Perturbations in Endocytotic and Apoptotic Pathways Are Associated With Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea

2020 ◽  
pp. 109980042095127
Author(s):  
Komal Singh ◽  
Huangshen Cao ◽  
Christine Miaskowski ◽  
Yvette P. Conley ◽  
Marilyn Hammer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Probability Method ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Oncology Patients ◽  
Microarray Sample ◽  
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Gi Symptoms ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Apoptotic Pathways

Background: While vomiting is well controlled with current antiemetic regimens, unrelieved chemotherapy-induced nausea (CIN) is a significant clinical problem. Perturbations in endocytotic and apoptotic pathways in the gut can influence the functioning of the microbiome-gut-brain-axis and the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. However, limited information is available on the mechanisms that underlie unrelieved CIN. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate for perturbed biological pathways associated with endocytosis and apoptosis in oncology patients who did (n = 353) and did not (n = 275) report CIN prior to their second or third cycle of chemotherapy (CTX). Methods: Oncology patients (n = 735) completed study questionnaires in the week prior to their second or third cycle of CTX. CIN occurrence was evaluated using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Pathway impact analyses (PIA) were performed in 2 independent samples using RNA-sequencing (sample 1, n = 334) and microarray (sample 2, n = 294) methodologies. Fisher’s combined probability method was used to identify signaling pathways related to endocytotic and apoptotic mechanisms that were significantly perturbed between the 2 nausea groups across both samples. Results: CIN was reported by 63.6% of the patients in sample 1 and 48.9% of the patients in sample 2. Across the 2 samples, PIA identified 4 perturbed pathways that are involved in endocytosis (i.e., endocytosis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton) and apoptosis (i.e., apoptosis, PI3K/Akt signaling). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that CTX-induced inflammation of the GI mucosa, that results in the initiation of endocytotic and apoptotic processes in the gut, is associated with the occurrence of CIN.

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