Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35659636›Full record

SynthesisJournal of pain and symptom management2022

Postoperative Symptom Burden in Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery.

Aurelie Merlo, Rebecca Carlson, John Espey, Brittney M Williams, Pranav Balakrishnan, Sarah Chen, Lauren Dawson, Daniel Johnson, Julia Brickey, Cecilia Pompili and 1 more

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of pain and symptom management, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 46 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
46citing papers in PubMed
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

46 citing papers in PubMed, 53 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Quality of life during electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) monitoring in thoracic surgery patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
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  4. I want to get better; I don't want to just stay at home: a theory-driven qualitative exploration of participation in a home-based lung cancer exercise clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Trial
  5. Effectiveness of message framing on pulmonary rehabilitation behavior for lung cancer surgery patients: Randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Aurelie MerloDepartment of Surgery (A.M., J.E., B.M.W., G.N.M.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Rebecca CarlsonUniversity Libraries (R.C.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
John EspeyDepartment of Surgery (A.M., J.E., B.M.W., G.N.M.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Brittney M WilliamsDepartment of Surgery (A.M., J.E., B.M.W., G.N.M.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Pranav BalakrishnanMarshall University (P.B.), Huntington, West Virginia, USA.
Sarah ChenDepartment of Surgery (S.C.), Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina, USA.
Lauren DawsonUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine (L.D., D.J., J.B.), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Daniel JohnsonUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine (L.D., D.J., J.B.), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Julia BrickeyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine (L.D., D.J., J.B.), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Cecilia PompiliSection of Patient Centred Outcomes Research (C.P.), Leeds Institute for Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Gita N ModyDepartment of Surgery (A.M., J.E., B.M.W., G.N.M.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (G.N.M.), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Electronic address: gita_mody@med.unc.edu.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · USMarshall University · USMedical University of South Carolina · USUniversity of Leeds · GB

Funding

Improving Thoracic Surgical Care using electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePROs)K23HL157765 · NHLBI · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Gita Natwar Mody · 2022 to 2026
$1.0M
NHLBI NIH HHS K23 HL157765
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextPrevious studies on quality of life (QOL) after lung cancer surgery have identified a long duration of symptoms postoperatively. We first performed a systematic review of QOL in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer. A subgroup analysis was conducted focusing on symptom burden and its relationship with QOL.

objectiveTo perform a qualitative review of articles addressing symptom burden in patients undergoing surgical resection for lung cancer.

methodsThe parent systematic review utilized search terms for symptoms, functional status, and well-being as well as instruments commonly used to evaluate global QOL and symptom experiences after lung cancer surgery. The articles examining symptom burden (n = 54) were analyzed through thematic analysis of their findings and graded according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine rating scale.

resultsThe publication rate of studies assessing symptom burden in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer have increased over time. The level of evidence quality was 2 or 3 for 14 articles (cohort study or case control) and level of 4 in the remaining 40 articles (case series). The most common QOL instruments used were the Short Form 36 and 12, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score. Thematic analysis revealed several key findings: 1) lung cancer surgery patients have a high symptom burden both before and after surgery; 2) pain, dyspnea, cough, fatigue, depression, and anxiety are the most commonly studied symptoms; 3) the presence of symptoms prior to surgery is an important risk factor for higher acuity of symptoms and persistence after surgery; and 4) symptom burden is a predictor of postoperative QOL.

conclusionLung cancer patients undergoing surgery carry a high symptom burden which impacts their QOL. Measurement approaches use myriad and heterogenous instruments. More research is needed to standardize symptom burden measurement and management, with the goal to improve patient experience and overall outcomes.

Indexed as

Lung NeoplasmsQuality of LifeAnxietyCohort StudiesFatigueHumanslung cancerpulmonary resectionquality of lifesurgerySymptoms

Identifiers

PMID35659636
PMCPMC10744975
OpenAlexW4281704926

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.