OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess whether single-agent pharmacotherapy directed at the patient-prioritised, highest-scoring PERSONS symptom (target symptom) produces concurrent improvements in both the target symptom and overall symptom burden in advanced-cancer patients. METHODS: ; Pearson's r examined correlations. RESULTS: = 0.65; both p<0.0001). Pain was the predominant target symptom (45.7 %). CONCLUSIONS: Focusing on a single, evidence-based drug on the patient-defined dominant symptom halved target-symptom intensity and reduced global symptom burden by 39% within 2 weeks. These findings support a pragmatic 'less-is-more' paradigm that may minimise polypharmacy while delivering broad symptomatic benefit in advanced cancer.
Giusti et al. (2026) studied this question.