Chronic fatigue and its correlates in long-term survivors of cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF) and associated variables in locoregional cervical cancer survivors (CCSs) surveyed > 5 years after radiotherapy. Demographic, clinical and psychological characteristics of the CCSs were compared with normative data.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Department of Gynaecologic Oncology at Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, Oslo, Norway.


METHODS
Seventy-nine CCSs aged < or = 79 years, treated between 1994 and 1999, representing 62% of those invited. Normative data were based on various population studies of Norwegian women.


METHODS
Data were collected by means of a mailed questionnaire, which included demographic variables and instruments covering fatigue, mental distress, sexual functioning, somatic impairments and quality of life (QOL).


METHODS
Self-reported fatigue score and caseness of CF based on the fatigue questionnaire.


RESULTS
CCSs showed 30% CF versus 13% reported in the general population (P= 0.001). CCSs with CF had a significantly lower QOL, higher levels of anxiety and depression and more physical impairments than those without CF. In a multivariable regression model, depression was the only variable significantly associated with CF in CCSs.


CONCLUSIONS
More CCSs have CF than age-matched women in the general population. CF should be of clinical concern since these women also frequently have treatable mental and physical problems.
Vistad
I
I
Department of Gynaecology, Sorlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand, Norway. ingvild.vistad@sshf.no
Fosså
S D
SD
Kristensen
G B
GB
Dahl
A A
AA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*