Identification of subtypes of symptom cluster in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a cluster analysis

Abstract

Objective To explore the possible types of patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy based on their experience with the symptom cluster of pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance. Methods Totally 161 gastric cancer patients were investigated by the demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Quality of Life Questionnaires (QLICP-ST). Cluster analysis using SPSS 22.0 version was performed to categorize patients. Results Four different types of patients were got through cluster analysis. Type Ⅰ patients showed all low symptoms (23 cases accounted for 14.3%), Type Ⅱ patients showed low pain and moderate fatigue (43 cases accounted for 26.7%), Type Ⅲ patients showed low pain and high fatigue (62 cases accounted for 38.5%), Type Ⅳ patients performed moderate-to-high on all symptoms (33 cases accounted for 20.5%). Their education status, chemotherapy cycle sand KPS score were the main factor influencing the classification of pain-fatigue-sleep disorder symptoms in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy after operation (χ2=13.873, 26.442, F=3.193, P<0.05 or 0.01). Type Ⅳ tended to have higher education level, lower KPS score and later stage of chemotherapy. Furthermore, patients in moderate-to-high class had significantly lower quality of life score than all low class (F=10.552, P <0.01). Conclusion In this research, patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy were divided into 4 types based on their experience with the symptom cluster of pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance. It could provide basis for effectively screening and implementing measures for symptoms management. Key words: Stomach neoplasms; Quality of life; Symptom cluster; Cluster analysis