According to data presented at the 2021 ONS Congress, researchers have observed patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers experience moderate to high levels of sleep disturbance during chemotherapy that decreases their functional status and quality of life (QOL).

A total of 405 patients completed 6 questionnaires over a course of two chemotherapy cycles. Following the assessment of questionnaire data, patients were appropriately classified among three distinct sleep disturbance classes: Low (35.8%), High (48.6%), Very High (15.6%).

Investigators evaluated differences among these subgroups in demographic, clinical, sleep characteristics, co-occurring symptoms, and QOL outcomes through General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS), parametric and non-parametric analyses, and latent profile analysis (LPA). Of note, this study marks the first use of LPA to identify subgroups of patients with GI cancers with distinct sleep disturbance profiles.

Through the six assessments, patients were appropriately classified among three distinct sleep disturbance classes: Low (35.8%), High (48.6%), Very High (15.6%).

As a result, patients in the High and Very High sleep disturbance classes were found to be significantly younger, experienced a higher number of comorbidities and prior cancer treatments, less likely to be married/partnered, less likely to exercise regularly, less likely to be employed, and experienced a history of diagnosed back pain.

Moreover, patients in the Very High subgroup were found to experience increased childcare responsibilities, and reported higher levels of anxiety, depressive symptoms, morning/evening fatigue and pain, as well as lower levels of attentional function and QOL scores at enrollment.

In conclusion, significant differences were found among the three classes for comorbidity burden, occurrence of depression, and the GSDS subscale and total scores (i.e., Low < High < Very High).

According to investigators, these insights into risk factors and co-occurring symptoms for higher levels of sleep disturbance in patients with GI cancers can be used to identify patients who are at the highest risk for sleep disturbance and develop personalized symptom management interventions to reduce symptom burden and ultimately improve QOL. -Alexis Hyams