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Cancer-related fatigue not persistent in most women with breast cancer
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Much of the cancer-related fatigue previously reported may not actually be attributable to cancer, new research indicates.
Although the adverse effect is common, it generally is not long-lasting, researchers added.
Researchers examined cancer-related fatigue in 218 women who had undergone surgery and were receiving adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Women completed interviews and self-report questionnaires at the end of treatment, at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and again at 5 years. Any women who reported cancer-related fatigue for longer than 6 months were further assessed to exclude other causes.
Twenty-four percent of women reported fatigue after surgery and 31% reported it at the end of treatment. Eleven percent of women reported persistent fatigue at 6 months. By 12 months, that percentage dropped to 6%.
A tumor size of 3 cm or greater was the only significant predictor of persistent fatigue (OR=3.11; 95% CI, 1.17-8.27). Demographic, psychologic, surgical or hematologic parameters had no predictive value related to fatigue.
Those women who were identified as having persistent fatigue reported a mean of 6.7 days of missed work, as well as an increased health care utilization.
Although cancer-related fatigue only affects a small number of women for 6 months or longer, it is “clear that these women do experience substantive disability and increased health resource utilization associated with the chronic illness, indicating a need to both recognize those at risk and develop successful interventions to improve the natural history,” the researchers wrote.
References:
- Goldstein D. J Clin Oncol. 2012;doi:10.1200/JCO.2011.34.6148.