Background: The purpose of this study was to assess symptom clusters in functional interference using the brief pain inventory (BPI) in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer (BC) during and after chemotherapy.
Methods: A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was conducted on data from 228 patients to identify two clusters at baseline and two intervals following treatment.
Results: Physical (general activity, normal work, walking ability) and psychosocial (mood, relationships, sleep, enjoyment of life) interference clusters were present at baseline. Clusters were observed at 1-month (cluster 1: general activity, normal work, enjoyment of life; cluster 2: relationships, sleep) and 3-month (cluster 1: general activity, normal work, relationships; cluster 2: sleep, enjoyment of life) post-treatment.
Conclusions: Results from our study suggest dynamic symptom clusters in this patient population, and encourage continued symptom management following completion of treatment.
Keywords: Quality of life; chemotherapy; functional interference; pain.