{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T18:53:56Z","timestamp":1791658436787,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,20]],"date-time":"2024-09-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1726790400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Major cancer treatments can cause a wide range of unpleasant symptoms that burden oncology patients. Different symptom clusters (SC) among cancer patients have been reported in the literature. This study determined the prevalence of symptoms patients experience during chemotherapy treatment and identified symptom clusters among them.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 213 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in three large hospitals in Vietnam. Symptoms were measured by the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The most prevalent symptoms were lack of appetite (65.3%), difficulty sleeping (62.9%), dry mouth (57.7%), numbness (60.1%), hair loss (43.2%), change in the way food tastes (40.8%), and lack of energy (44.1%). Four symptom clusters were identified. Difficult concentration, pain, cough, and dizziness contributed to the first SC. The second one included <jats:italic>lack of energy<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>numbness<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>change the food taste<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>and lack of appetite<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>Dry mouth<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>nausea<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>feeling bloated<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>problems with urination<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>hair loss<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>and constipation<\/jats:italic> made up for the third SC. The final SC consisted of psychological symptoms, which were feeling <jats:italic>nervous<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>feeling drowsy<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>feeling sad<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>worrying<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>problems with sexual interest or activity and difficulty sleeping<\/jats:italic>.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The study demonstrated that respondents experienced various symptoms and symptom clusters during chemotherapy. These findings can be used to develop clinical guidelines for symptom assessment and management in oncology patients for healthcare professionals.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0307725","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,20]],"date-time":"2024-09-20T17:34:34Z","timestamp":1726853674000},"page":"e0307725","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Identifying symptom cluster in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy-in Vietnam: A cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5248-0398","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Huong Thi Xuan","family":"Hoang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Quyen Thi Le","family":"Le","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vi Pham Nhat","family":"Do","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anh Thi Hong","family":"Nguyen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Quang Vinh","family":"Bui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0307725.ref001","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cancer fact sheet"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0307725.ref002","first-page":"209","article-title":"Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries.","volume":"71","author":"H Sung","year":"2021","journal-title":"CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians."},{"key":"pone.0307725.ref003","year":"2017","journal-title":"The Global Cancer Burden"},{"issue":"37","key":"pone.0307725.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1093\/jncimonographs\/lgm005","article-title":"Symptom burden: multiple symptoms and their impact as patient-reported outcomes","author":"CS Cleeland","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of the Natiomal Cancer Institude Monographs"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0307725.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"668","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2001.01697.x","article-title":"Advancing the science of symptom management","volume":"33","author":"MJ Dodd","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0307725.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"404","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ygyno.2005.06.062","article-title":"Patient-provider communication and perceived control for women experiencing multiple symptoms associated with ovarian cancer","volume":"99","author":"HS Donovan","year":"2005","journal-title":"Gynecol Oncol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0307725.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"715","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpainsymman.2008.04.018","article-title":"A Review of the Prevalence and Impact of Multiple Symptoms in Oncology Patients.","volume":"37","author":"J-E Esther Kim","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Pain Symptom Manage"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0307725.ref008","first-page":"465","article-title":"Symptom clusters and their effect on the functional status of patients with cancer","volume":"28","author":"MJ Dodd","year":"2001","journal-title":"Oncol Nurs Forum"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0307725.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpainsymman.2009.09.012","article-title":"Symptom Cluster Patterns During the First Year After Diagnosis with Cancer.","volume":"39","author":"A Molassiotis","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Pain Symptom Manage"},{"issue":";1","key":"pone.0307725.ref010","first-page":"10","article-title":"Symptom clusters in patients receiving chemotherapy: A systematic review.","volume":"12","author":"SH Carolyn","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Supportive &amp; 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