Factors related to daily life interference in lung cancer patients: a cross-sectional regression tree study

To identify the symptom combination patterns and symptom severity levels that induce severe symptom interference in daily life activities, including physical and psychological activity interference in lung cancer patients.

In a cross-sectional descriptive study using convenience sampling, 131 participants were recruited at a medical center in northern Taiwan. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was used to assess performance status, and the Taiwanese version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-T) was used to assess symptom severity and symptom interference in daily life activities including physical and psychological activities. Regression tree models were applied to examine variable combinations for symptom interference level in daily life activities, including physical and psychological activity interference.

Study results revealed that the performance status is the key discriminator of the symptom interference level in daily life and physical activities, but distress severity is the key discriminating factor of the symptom interference level in psychological activities. The performance status and distress severity, plus other factors, further specifically show the discrimination paths and interactions between the risk groups.

This study provided an alternative approach to identify low- and high-risk groups of symptom interference among lung cancer patients in Taiwan. Increased awareness and further understanding of the risk combinations and discriminate levels of symptom severity that induced high symptom interference offer different perspectives to develop patient-centered care planning for lung cancer patient rehabilitation.