The Effectiveness of Interventions Based on Symptom Clusters for Symptom Burden and Quality of Life Among Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Linna Li, Yunhuan Li, Qianwen Yan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This meta-analysis assessed whether interventions organised around symptom clusters improve symptom burden and quality of life in people with cancer. It included nine randomised controlled trials published from 2012 to 2024, with 998 participants. Cluster-based interventions were associated with reduced burden from mixed symptom clusters (SMD = -0.25, 95% CI [-0.47, -0.04]) and improved quality of life (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI [0.12, 0.65]). Effects on physical, psychological and gastrointestinal symptom-cluster burden were not statistically significant. The findings suggest potential benefit, although results differed by symptom-cluster type.
Key findings
- Mixed-cluster symptom burden improved with intervention (SMD = -0.25, 95% CI [-0.47, -0.04]).
- Quality of life improved (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI [0.12, 0.65]).
- Reductions in physical, psychological and gastrointestinal symptom-cluster burden were not significant.
Why it matters
Cancer symptoms can occur in interrelated clusters, so evaluating interventions against clusters may capture effects that single-symptom approaches miss. This synthesis found benefits for mixed-cluster burden and quality of life, but not for the separately assessed physical, psychological or gastrointestinal clusters. The differing results underscore the importance of assessing outcomes by cluster type when interpreting evidence.
What to keep in mind
The evidence base comprised nine trials and 998 participants; effects were not significant for three symptom-cluster categories.