title: Symptom distress in older adults following cancer surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptom distress remains a significant health problem among older adults with cancer following surgery. Understanding factors influencing older adults' symptom distress may lead to early identification and interventions, decreasing morbidity and improving outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted this study to identify factors associated with symptom distress following surgery among 326 community-residing patients 65 years or older with a diagnosis of thoracic, digestive, gynecologic, and genitourinary cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This secondary analysis used combined subsets of data from 5 nurse-directed intervention clinical trials targeting patients after surgery at academic cancer centers in northwest and northeastern United States. Symptom distress was assessed by the Symptom Distress Scale at baseline and at 3 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A multivariable analysis, using generalized estimating equations, showed that symptom distress was significantly less at 3 and 6 months (3 months: P < .001, 6 months: P = .002) than at baseline while controlling for demographic, biologic, psychological, treatment, and function covariates. Thoracic cancer, comorbidities, worse mental health, and decreased function were, on average, associated with increased symptom distress (all P < .05). Participants 75 years or older reported increased symptom distress over time compared with those aged 65 to 69 years (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age, type of cancer, comorbidities, mental health, and function may influence older adults' symptom distress following cancer surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older adults generally experience decreasing symptom distress after thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic cancer surgery. Symptom management over time for those with thoracic cancer, comorbidities, those with worse mental health, those with decreased function, and those 75 years or older may prevent morbidity and improve outcomes of older adults following surgery.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, New York University, NY 10003, USA. janet.vancleave@nyu.edu
authors.forename: Janet H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Van Cleave
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Egleston
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ercolano
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCorkle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors