Longitudinal screening and management of fatigue, pain, and emotional distress associated with cancer therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Fatigue, pain, and emotional distress are common symptoms among patients with cancer. We sought to learn about patient perceptions of these symptoms and their treatment.


METHODS
At a baseline assessment and two monthly follow-up assessments, we asked a diverse sample of patients with solid tumor or lymphoma (N = 99) about their fatigue, pain and distress, their treatment for these symptoms, and their satisfaction with treatment via standardized questionnaires and semistructured interviews.


RESULTS
In this observational study, patients reported fatigue, pain, emotional distress, and general quality of life at expected levels. Across all assessments, at least half of our sample experienced at least some fatigue, pain, or distress. On the whole, patients and providers do communicate about these concerns, and at least 75% of patients found these discussions helpful when they occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved symptom identification and communication may optimize the detection of those at risk of morbidity and decreased quality of life because of excess symptom burden.
Butt
Zeeshan
Z
Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. z-butt@northwestern.edu
Wagner
Lynne I
LI
Beaumont
Jennifer L
JL
Paice
Judith A
JA
Straus
Joshua L
JL
Peterman
Amy H
AH
Carro
George
G
Von Roenn
Jamie H
JH
Shevrin
Dan
D
Cella
David
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires