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Fatigue in long‐term breast carcinoma survivors
Author(s) -
Bower Julienne E.,
Ganz Patricia A.,
Desmond Katherine A.,
Bernaards Coen,
Rowland Julia H.,
Meyerowitz Beth E.,
Belin Thomas R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.21671
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , depression (economics) , checklist , epidemiology , breast carcinoma , physical therapy , longitudinal study , cancer , pediatrics , pathology , psychology , economics , cognitive psychology , macroeconomics
BACKGROUND A longitudinal study was designed to evaluate the prevalence, persistence, and predictors of posttreatment fatigue in breast carcinoma survivors. METHODS A sample of 763 breast carcinoma survivors completed questionnaires at 1–5 and 5–10 years after diagnosis, including the RAND 36‐item Health Survey, Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression scale (CES‐D), Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist, and demographic and treatment‐related measures. RESULTS Approximately 34% of study participants reported significant fatigue at 5–10 years after diagnosis, which is consistent with prevalence estimates obtained at 1–5 years after diagnosis. Approximately 21% reported fatigue at both assessment points, indicating a more persistent symptom profile. Longitudinal predictors of fatigue included depression, cardiovascular problems, and type of treatment received. Women treated with either radiation or chemotherapy alone showed a small improvement in fatigue compared with those treated with both radiation and chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Fatigue continues to be a problem for breast carcinoma survivors many years after cancer diagnosis, with 21% reporting persistent problems with fatigue. Several factors that may contribute to long‐term fatigue are amenable to intervention, including depression and comorbid medical conditions. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.