According to the literature, it was demonstrated that concept of symptom
cluster is well interested in conducting the research on other countries. To make it
more understandable in significance and understanding of the complex symptom
experience can provide useful information to find strategy in improving health
outcome in advanced lung cancer. In contrast, there is limited information in symptom
cluster in Thailand. Although there are several studies conducted to investigate
symptom among cancer patients in Thailand, the studies emphasized on only one or
two symptoms. The starting point in focusing on symptom cluster began in 2007,
Suwisith and colleagues initiated conducting the study on symptom clusters in 320
Thai women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The study was
investigated across the two symptom dimensions which were symptom severity and
symptom distress dimension, and predictor cluster affecting the functional status
factor analysis and multiple regression were used to examine symptom clusters and
their significant effects on the functional status of the women.
Findings revealed that there are four symptom clusters (emotions related
symptoms, GI and fatigue related symptoms, image related cutaneous symptoms, and
pain related discomfort symptoms) existing in the dimension of symptom severity,
with 50.1% variance explained in all the symptoms. The clusters significantly
explained 19.8% of the variance in the functional status (p