Evidence mapPaperPMID 41526469Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2026

Postoperative symptom trajectories in early-stage lung cancer: a latent transition analysis.

Hang Yi, Qian Hong, Yan Wang, Yinyan Gao, Haiyue Sun, Guochao Zhang, Fengyan Ma

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Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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7 authors.

Hang Yi *Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China. yh_19971028@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8521-7422
Qian Hong *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
Yan WangDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Yinyan GaoDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Haiyue SunXiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
Guochao ZhangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
Fengyan MaDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China. mafengyan@cicams.ac.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPostoperative symptoms in lung cancer patients are complex and dynamic, yet recovery is highly heterogeneous. Traditional analyses often fail to capture individual recovery trajectories, limiting the ability to provide personalized care. This study aimed to identify distinct postoperative symptom trajectories and their clinical predictors using a person-centered approach.

methodsWe conducted a prospective longitudinal study with 394 patients undergoing uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (uniportal VATS) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Patient-reported symptoms were collected at 1, 7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct symptom profiles, and Latent Transition Analysis (LTA) modeled the transitions between these profiles over time. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify predictors of these transitions.

resultsLPA identified two distinct recovery profiles: a "Rapid Recovery" group (C1) and a "High-Symptom, Slow Recovery" group (C2). The first postoperative week was a critical window, with 73.0% of patients in the High-Symptom, Slow Recovery group transitioning to the Rapid Recovery group. This transition rate slowed significantly in subsequent weeks. A higher ASA classification, use of a thicker chest tube, and extensive lymph node dissection predicted a slower recovery. Conversely, better pulmonary function (FEV1%, MVV%) facilitated a faster transition, while postoperative complications were associated with a negative trajectory shift.

conclusionsPostoperative recovery in lung cancer patients follows predictable, heterogeneous trajectories. This person-centered approach enables the early identification of high-risk patients based on preoperative and surgical factors. Understanding these distinct pathways allows for a shift from a one-size-fits-all model to staged, personalized interventions designed to optimize symptom management and enhance patient recovery.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungLung NeoplasmsPostoperative ComplicationsThoracic Surgery, Video-AssistedAgedFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresProspective StudiesLatent transition analysisLung cancerPatient-reported outcomes (PROs)Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (uniportal VATS)

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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 Socratic graph.