# Symptom Burden and Dietary Changes Among Older Adults with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study
## 3 Results
### Symptom Burden--An Underestimated Player
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Cancer Entity**} & **Symptom** & **Symptom** & \multirow{2}{*}{\(p\)-Value} \\  & **Positive** & **Negative** & \\  & [N] & [N] & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Dysphagia**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 26 & 161 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.0002} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 37 & 76 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Diarrhoea**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 38 & 149 & \multirow{2}{*}{**0.0161**} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 11 & 102 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Meteorism**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 43 & 143 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.8887} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 27 & 86 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Nausea**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 47 & 140 & \multirow{2}{*}{**0.0423**} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 17 & 96 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Xerostonia**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 115 & 71 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.3317} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 63 & 50 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Loss of appetite**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 84 & 103 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.0686} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 38 & 75 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Odynophagia**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 12 & 175 & \multirow{2}{*}{**0.0098**} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 18 & 95 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Constipation**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 42 & 145 & \multirow{2}{*}{**0.0319**} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 38 & 74 & \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Abdominal discomfort**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 26 & 161 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.4759} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 12 & 101 & \multirow{2}{*}{**Emesis**} \\ \hline
**Hematological neoplasm** & 10 & 177 & \multirow{2}{*}{0.7995} \\ \hline
**Solid tumor** & 7 & 106 & \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: \(Cont.\) \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Treatment Modality**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Symptom**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Symptom**} \\  & **Positive** & **Negative** & **Negative** \\  & [N] & **[N]** & **[N]** \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Mucositis**} \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 23 & 117 & 0.8481 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 13 & 60 & 0.8481 \\ \hline \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Dysgeusia**} \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 49 & 91 & 0.2836 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 20 & 53 & 0.2836 \\ \hline
**Dysphagia** & & & \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 19 & 121 & **0.0002** \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 27 & 46 & **0.0002** \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 20 & 120 & 0.3904 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 7 & 66 & 0.3904 \\ \hline
**Meteorism** & & & \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 29 & 110 & 0.7271 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 17 & 56 & 0.7271 \\ \hline
**Nausea** & & & \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 25 & 115 & 0.7018 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 11 & 62 & 0.7018 \\ \hline
**Xerostomia** & & & \\ \hline
**Systemic treatment** & 83 & 56 & 0.6611 \\ \hline
**Radiation therapy** & 41 & 32 & 0.6611 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 6: Symptom burden in relation to treatment modality. Figure 3: Patient groups show distinct symptom patterns. While xerostomia and meteorism are common problems in both groups, patients with hematological neoplasms are more prone to suffering from loss of appetite, dysgeusia, or nausea. Patients with solid tumors complain more often about constipation, dysphagia, and odynophagia.