DISTINCT SYMPTOM PROFILES IN CANCER SURVIVORS DURING COVID-19 ARE ASSOCIATED WITH POORER QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) OUTCOMES

ABSTRACT

Introduction A substantial proportion of cancer survivors experience a relatively high symptom burden. During the COVID-19 pandemic, study purposes were to identify distinct symptom profiles in cancer survivors and evaluate for differences among these symptom profiles in QOL outcomes. Methods Survivors (n=1145) completed questionnaires that evaluated depression, state anxiety, morning and evening fatigue, morning and evening energy, sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment, and pain. QOL was assessed using the QOL Scale-Patient Version. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct symptom profiles (i.e., latent classes) using the severity scores from each of the symptom measures. Differences in QOL scores were evaluated using analysis of variance. Results Four distinct symptom profiles were identified (i.e., none (28.6%), low (37.7%), high (25.9%), very high (7.9%)). Compared to the none class, survivors in the other three classes were younger, more likely to be female, had a higher comorbidity burden, and a poorer functional status. Differences among the four classes in physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being, as well as total QOL scores followed the same pattern (none > low > high > very high). Conclusions Findings suggest that almost 35% of cancer survivors were experiencing a high to very high symptom burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. As symptom burden increased in these survivors, decrements in QOL increased in a stepwise fashion.