Long-Lasting Fatigue After Breast Cancer Less Common Than Thought

Long-Lasting Fatigue After Breast Cancer Less Common Than Thought

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Academic Journal
Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 22 Apr 2012 - 9:00 PDT

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Although breast cancer-related fatigue is common, it generally runs a self-limiting course and does not persist as long as people had thought; especially in cases of early-stage breast cancer, researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The authors explained that long-term fatigue, which is often disabling, is common after patients undergo treatment for cancer. However, they added that studies had not extensively looked at how persistent CRF (cancer-related fatigue) was; i.e. how common long-term CRF might be.

In an Abstract in the journal, the researchers wrote:

". . . hence, relationships to cancer, surgery, and adjuvant therapy
are unclear. "

Dr. David Goldstein, of Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, Australia, and team set out to determine how common cancer-related fatigue was one year after treatment.

Their prospective cohort study involved 218 adult females with early stage breast cancer who were receiving adjuvant treatment. They were enrolled after undergoing surgery and were observed when treatment was completed, and then again 1, 3, 6, 9 and 60 months later.

Each participant was interviewed regularly; they were also asked to complete questionnaires regarding their physical and psychological health, including disability and their use of health care treatments and services.

Those with cancer-related fatigue that continued at six months were assessed, so that psychiatric and alternative medical causes of fatigue could be excluded.

The following data was gathered and reported:

• 24% of patients suffered from cancer-related fatigue after surgery


• 31% of the women experienced cancer-related fatigue at the end of treatment


• 11% of the participants experienced cancer-related fatigue at 6 months


• 6% of them still had cancer-related fatigue at 12 months
• At post-surgery, end of treatment, 6 months and 12 months points, at least on third of them had comorbid mood disturbances


• Tumor size was a predictor for cancer-related fatigue


• Demographics, surgical parameters, as well as psychological and hematologic factors were not predictors of cancer-related fatigue


• Cancer-related fatigue was found to be linked to considerable disability

The authors concluded in an Abstract in the same journal:

"CRF is common but generally runs a self-limiting course. Much of the previously reported high rates of persistent CRF may be attributable to factors unrelated to the cancer or its treatment."

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• Additional
• References
• Citations

"Cancer-Related Fatigue in Women With Breast Cancer: Outcomes of a 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study"
David Goldstein, Barbara K. Bennett, Kate Webber, Fran Boyle, Paul L. de Souza, Nicholas R.C. Wilcken, Elizabeth M. Scott, Ruth Toppler, Penelope Murie, Linda O'Malley, Junie McCourt, Michael Friedlander, Ian B. Hickie and Andrew R. Lloyd
Journal of Clinical Oncology. April 16, 2012, doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.34.6148 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (1)

Unless you have had it...

posted by Lisa on 22 Apr 2012 at 9:47 am

I'm sorry, but there is a huge amount of fatigue that goes along with breast cancer and its treatment. The emotional turmoil alone idilys nalcause sleep disturbances. The medicinal and radiation treatment takes a physical toil. I actually think it is much greater than you think, but women do not have the extended support system to help with their fatigue. After the initial treatment, much of their support system is out of vacation days or they feel the need to return to some sense of normalcy. You cannot make such a generalization.

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