Identifying Psychoneurological Symptom Clusters in Heme Malignancies

In an interview with CancerNetwork®, Naomi Cazeau, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, highlighted the intricate psychoneurological (PN) symptom cluster in adult hematologic malignancies at the 51st Annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress. Her research underscored how patients with these diseases are grossly affected by co-occurring symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and depression, which are compounded by biological pathways such as anemia and systemic inflammation.

Cazeau further emphasized that this patient population has been historically underrepresented in symptom science. Because hematologic malignancies encompass a diverse range of diseases––including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma––it is challenging to implement a one-size-fits-all research approach. Cazeau advocated for multidisciplinary collaboration to refine research focus and secure necessary funding. By bringing awareness to these biological and psychological complexities, she aims to foster greater investment and clinical engagement to improve the functional quality of life for patients facing these unique challenges.

Transcript:

The unique challenges for patients with hematologic malignancies involve various pathways associated with psychoneurological symptoms. These patients are grossly affected in many ways; for instance, anemia has been linked to these symptoms, and we know that patients undergoing treatment for hematologic malignancies are often quite anemic as a result of both their disease and the therapy.

There is also the role of inflammation. The treatments we provide can cause inflammation, but so can the disease process itself. Patients suffer from these biological issues that compound their symptom experience. It is historically difficult to study this group, partly because they are a diverse group. Hematologic malignancies include different forms of leukemia, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma; it is difficult to put them all in one bucket. They also represent a small portion of the overall cancer population in the US.

Consequently, securing the necessary attention and funding for research in this space can be a challenge. I believe working as multidisciplinary teams to refine our research focus and develop robust proposals will help us secure that funding and attention. Even conducting interviews like this is helpful because it brings the issue to the wider community’s awareness. Hopefully, in the future, we will see greater investment, participation, and engagement in this area, which is exactly what I am hoping to achieve with my research.

Reference

Cazeau N, Sheng Y. The psychoneurological symptom cluster in adult hematologic malignancies: a concept analysis. Presented at: 51st Annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress; May 13-17, 2026; San Antonio, TX. Poster 12