Annals of palliative medicine
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Cancer patients often present with several concurrent symptoms. There is evidence to suggest that related symptoms can cluster together in stable groups. The present study sought to identify symptom clusters in advanced cancer patients using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) in a palliative outpatient radiotherapy clinic. ⋯ Symptom clusters were identified using three analytical methods. The following items were always in the same cluster: depression and anxiety; nausea and appetite loss; well-being and pain; tiredness and drowsiness. Further research in symptom clusters is necessary to advance our understanding of the complex symptom interactions in advanced cancer patients and to determine the most clinically relevant symptom clusters.
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Multicenter Study
PROutine: a feasibility study assessing surveillance of electronic patient reported outcomes and adherence via smartphone app in advanced cancer.
In advanced cancer, quality of life (QoL) is a major treatment goal. In order to achieve this, the identification of suffering by screening for patient-reported-outcomes (PROs, i.e., symptoms) is of utmost importance. The use of paper-pencil questionnaires is associated with significant shortcomings due to missing data, recall bias and transcription errors. Other than that, the electronic recording of PROs by mobile Health (mHealth) offers a number of advantages. The aim of this study was to test whether the routine assessment of PROs via a newly developed smartphone application (MeQoL®) is feasible. ⋯ Even though participants were asked to record PROs rather frequently (daily), missing data were low and patient satisfaction was high. Having in mind the findings of other working groups, such routine implementation of mHealth solutions may substantially improve outcomes of cancer therapy and increase the value of trials' findings. For the individual patient, MeQoL® allows for monitoring adherence to pharmacotherapy and can facilitate patient guidance.