Cancer Symptom Clusters: Old Concept But New Data

Abstract:
Individuals with cancer have multiple symptoms, which frequently co-occur. A nonrandom distribution of symptoms suggests a common mechanism. Symptom clusters (SCs) were considered part of various syndromes in the early years of medicine. The SC concept in clinical medicine is old. Symptom clusters were commonly described in the psychology/psychiatry and neurology literature. Symptom cluster may be defined either clinically or statistically. Statistically derived clusters can differ from clinically defined clusters. The clinical importance of statistically derived clusters is unclear. Pain-insomnia-fatigue and pain-depression-fatigue are commonly recognized clinical clusters. Nausea-vomiting and anxiety-depression are also statistically observed clusters.