Differences in Type Composition of Symptom Clusters as Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients with Meningioma and Glioma

Objectives of this study were to identify and compare symptom clusters in patients with meningioma and glioma and to assess and compare predictors of quality of life (QoL) in both patient groups. Data were collected using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory–Brain Tumor Module, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General, and Karnofsky Performance Sale. Of 158 participating patients, 77 had meningioma, and 81 had glioma. In patients with meningioma, 4 symptom clusters were identified with 55.4% total variance: 1) physical, 2) cognitive, 3) elimination-appearance, and 4) motor-sensory symptoms. In patients with glioma, 4 clusters with 67.3% total variance were identified: 1) treatment-related, 2) cognitive, 3) appearance-elimination, and 4) gastrointestinal symptoms. Predictors of QoL in patients with meningioma were Karnofsky Performance Scale score (β = 0.41, P < 0.001), cognitive symptom cluster (β = −0.36, P < 0.001), and physical symptom cluster (β = −0.32, P = 0.001), whereas treatment-related symptom cluster (β = −0.55, P < 0.001) was identified as a predictor of QoL in patients with glioma. In this study, the type and composition of symptom clusters differed between patients with meningioma and glioma. Our data also provide evidence that even when participants reported mild symptoms, these clusters could be used to predict QoL in patients with meningioma and glioma.