Abstract: Objective: To describe the subgroups of multiple symptom distress and analyze the influencing factors of different potential subgroups in patients with esophageal cancer, in order to formulate tailored interventions. Methods: From September 2022 to March 2023, the convenience sampling method was used to recruit 452 patients with esophageal cancer, who had undergone esophagectomies in three cancer hospitals. The questionnaires including General Information Questionnaire and the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Gastrointestinal Cancer Module (MDASI-GI), etc. Latent profile analysis was used to explore subgroups of symptom distress in patients. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors. Results: The symptom distress subgroups in postoperative esophageal cancer patients could be classified into: C1 (high incidence group on both physical symptoms and psychological symptoms, 62.4%); C2 (physical symptoms with high incidence group but psychological symptoms with low incidence group, 25.4%); and C3 (low incidence group on both physical symptoms and psychological symptoms, 12.2%). Age, self-efficacy, perceived stress, comorbid chronic disease, and receiving chemotherapy or immunotherapy before operation were main influencing factors of classification of different subgroups of patients with esophageal cancer (P<0.05). Conclusion: Symptom distress in postoperative esophageal cancer patients can be categorized into three distinct subgroups, with the "high incidence group on both physical symptoms and psychological symptoms" subgroup accounting for the highest proportion and exhibiting significant heterogeneity. Healthcare professionals should identify characteristics and influencing factors of different subgroups, and then formulate tailored interventions to promote the precise symptom management.

Key words: esophageal cancer; symptom; subgroup; latent profile analysis