Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis

ABSTRACT Introduction Patients with terminal‐stage cancer frequently experience multiple symptoms simultaneously. Little is known about how core symptom clusters differ in advanced‐cancer patients with different survival expectancies receiving hospice care. To identify the core symptom clusters of h...

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Main Authors: Yitao Wei, Wan Cheng, Yuanfeng Lu, Zheng Zhu, Guiru Xu, Hong Wu, Shaowei Lin, Huimin Xiao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Cancer Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70370
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author Yitao Wei
Wan Cheng
Yuanfeng Lu
Zheng Zhu
Guiru Xu
Hong Wu
Shaowei Lin
Huimin Xiao
author_facet Yitao Wei
Wan Cheng
Yuanfeng Lu
Zheng Zhu
Guiru Xu
Hong Wu
Shaowei Lin
Huimin Xiao
author_sort Yitao Wei
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Introduction Patients with terminal‐stage cancer frequently experience multiple symptoms simultaneously. Little is known about how core symptom clusters differ in advanced‐cancer patients with different survival expectancies receiving hospice care. To identify the core symptom clusters of hospice‐care cancer patients with different survival expectancies and compare the features of their symptom networks. Methods In this retrospective study, secondary data analysis was conducted. Records of 6946 patients with advanced cancer who received home‐based hospice care service in a hospice center from April 2001 to December 2020 were collected and analyzed using network analysis. Results This analysis included 6946 patients with advanced cancer receiving hospice care. In patients with survival expectancies of 0–6 months, loss of appetite was identified as the core symptom (rs = 4.03, rb = 5.21, rc = 2.63), and five symptom clusters were identified. Malnutrition was the core symptom in patients with survival expectancies of 6–12 months (rs = 2.83, rb = 2.43, rc = 0.93), and nine symptom clusters were identified. Wasting syndrome was the core symptom cluster in two groups. The network density of symptoms in patients with < 6 months of survival expectancy (91.99) was higher than in patients with 6–12 months (28.39). Conclusions Nutrition impact symptoms are the core symptoms for home‐hospice care cancer patients with a survival period of 1 year or below. Moreover, hospice cancer patients with short survival expectancies have greater inter‐symptom impact.
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spelling doaj-art-51c74701f71546f99aa278ec36c2d07b2024-11-13T07:40:35ZengWileyCancer Medicine2045-76342024-11-011321n/an/a10.1002/cam4.70370Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network AnalysisYitao Wei0Wan Cheng1Yuanfeng Lu2Zheng Zhu3Guiru Xu4Hong Wu5Shaowei Lin6Huimin Xiao7School of Nursing Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaSchool of Nursing Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaSchool of Nursing Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaSchool of Nursing Fudan University Shanghai ChinaSchool of Nursing Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaDepartment of Hospice Care Fujian Provincial Hospital Fuzhou ChinaSchool of Public Health Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaSchool of Nursing Fujian Medical University Fuzhou ChinaABSTRACT Introduction Patients with terminal‐stage cancer frequently experience multiple symptoms simultaneously. Little is known about how core symptom clusters differ in advanced‐cancer patients with different survival expectancies receiving hospice care. To identify the core symptom clusters of hospice‐care cancer patients with different survival expectancies and compare the features of their symptom networks. Methods In this retrospective study, secondary data analysis was conducted. Records of 6946 patients with advanced cancer who received home‐based hospice care service in a hospice center from April 2001 to December 2020 were collected and analyzed using network analysis. Results This analysis included 6946 patients with advanced cancer receiving hospice care. In patients with survival expectancies of 0–6 months, loss of appetite was identified as the core symptom (rs = 4.03, rb = 5.21, rc = 2.63), and five symptom clusters were identified. Malnutrition was the core symptom in patients with survival expectancies of 6–12 months (rs = 2.83, rb = 2.43, rc = 0.93), and nine symptom clusters were identified. Wasting syndrome was the core symptom cluster in two groups. The network density of symptoms in patients with < 6 months of survival expectancy (91.99) was higher than in patients with 6–12 months (28.39). Conclusions Nutrition impact symptoms are the core symptoms for home‐hospice care cancer patients with a survival period of 1 year or below. Moreover, hospice cancer patients with short survival expectancies have greater inter‐symptom impact.https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70370advanced cancerhome‐based hospicenetwork analysisnutrition impact symptomsymptom clustersymptom network
spellingShingle Yitao Wei
Wan Cheng
Yuanfeng Lu
Zheng Zhu
Guiru Xu
Hong Wu
Shaowei Lin
Huimin Xiao
Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
Cancer Medicine
advanced cancer
home‐based hospice
network analysis
nutrition impact symptom
symptom cluster
symptom network
title Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
title_full Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
title_fullStr Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
title_short Features and Differences in Core Symptom Clusters in Home‐Based Hospice Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Network Analysis
title_sort features and differences in core symptom clusters in home based hospice patients with advanced cancer a network analysis
topic advanced cancer
home‐based hospice
network analysis
nutrition impact symptom
symptom cluster
symptom network
url https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.70370
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