The Prevalence and Factors of Dyspnea Among Advanced Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Tianxue Hou, Mu-Hsing Ho, Shumin Jia et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled observational evidence on dyspnea prevalence and associated factors among people with advanced cancer. Across 67 studies involving 78 409 survivors, the pooled prevalence was 43% (95% prediction interval, 0.07, 0.84). Prevalence varied by cancer type, reaching 55% in lung cancer. Associated factors spanned physical, medical and treatment-related influences; psychological factors such as anxiety; and functioning, performance and demographic characteristics. The findings underscore dyspnea as a common, multifactorial symptom in advanced cancer, while the wide prediction interval indicates substantial variation across settings or populations.
Key findings
- Across 67 studies and 78 409 advanced cancer survivors, pooled dyspnea prevalence was 43% (95% prediction interval, 0.07, 0.84).
- Dyspnea prevalence in lung cancer was 55%.
- Associated factors included fatigue, lung disease, palliative sedation, anxiety, Karnofsky Performance Status and age.
Why it matters
Dyspnea affects a substantial proportion of people with advanced cancer and is associated with factors across physical health, treatment, psychological state and functioning. Recognising this breadth can support a more comprehensive assessment of symptom burden and related distress. The variation in prevalence across cancer types and the wide prediction interval also caution against assuming a uniform burden across populations.
What to keep in mind
The review included observational studies, so identified factors are associations rather than evidence of causation. The wide prediction interval indicates substantial variability in prevalence estimates.