Longitudinal study of symptom cluster in patients with esophageal carcinoma during concurrent chemoradiotherapy

LUO Lan; WU Danfeng; FAN Jinjia; ZHONG Qianmei; ZHANG Liangfang; HE Mei

doi:10.12102/j.issn.1009-6493.2024.06.006

Abstract：Objective:To explore the dynamic changes of symptom groups at different time points in patients with esophageal carcinoma during concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Methods:A total of 102 patients with esophageal carcinoma treated in the oncology department of a tertiary grade A hospital in Sichuan province were selected as the research subjects from February to October 2022.General information questionnaire and MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for Gastrointestinal Cancer were used to survey patients before the start of chemoradiotherapy,at the time of 10 rounds of radiotherapy,at the time of 20 rounds of radiotherapy,and at the end of radiotherapy.Symptom groups were extracted by exploratory factor analysis.Results:During concurrent chemoradiotherapy,the incidence and severity of symptoms in patients with esophageal carcinoma were different at different time points,among which the incidence and severity of dysphagia,pain,fatigue and lethargy were higher.The exploratory factor analysis results showed that,there were 4,5,4 and 4 symptom groups were extracted before the start of chemoradiotherapy,at the time of 10 rounds of radiotherapy,at the time of 20 rounds of radiotherapy,and at the end of radiotherapy.Among them,psychological and physical discomfort symptom groups,digestive tract symptom group and eating difficulty symptom group were persistent,sleep disturbance symptom group existed before the start of chemoradiotherapy and the time of 10 rounds of radiotherapy.Adverse reaction symptom group began to develop from the time of 10 rounds of radiotherapy.Conclusions:There are multiple symptom groups in patients with esophageal carcinoma during concurrent chemoradiotherapy,and some symptom groups are persistence.The composition and severity of symptom groups are different at different time points.Medical staff should strengthen the symptom management of patients with esophageal carcinoma during concurrent chemoradiotherapy and improve the management plan to reduce the burden of symptoms of patients.