title: Psychosocial interventions for reducing fatigue during cancer treatment in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients receiving active treatment. There are a limited number of reviews evaluating interventions for fatigue during active treatment, and they are restricted to patients with advanced cancer, or to patients during radiotherapy. To date there is no systematic review on psychosocial interventions for fatigue during cancer treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if psychosocial interventions are effective in reducing fatigue in cancer patients receiving active treatment for cancer, and which types of psychosocial interventions are the most effective.
  
  
  METHODS
  In September 2008 we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO, and checked the reference lists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included which evaluated psychosocial interventions in adult cancer patients during treatment, with fatigue as an outcome measure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three review authors independently extracted data from the selected studies, and assessed the methodological quality using several quality rating scales and additional criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 3324 participants, and seven studies reported significant effects of the psychosocial intervention on fatigue. In three studies the effect was maintained at follow-up. The quality of the studies was generally moderate. Effect sizes varied between 0.17 to 1.07.The effectiveness of interventions specific for fatigue was significantly higher (80%) compared to interventions not specific for fatigue (14%). In five studies the interventions were specifically focused on fatigue, with four being effective. The five interventions were brief, consisting of three individual sessions, provided by (oncology) nurses. In general, during these interventions participants were educated about fatigue, were taught in self-care or coping techniques, and learned activity management.Of the remaining 22 studies only three were effective in reducing fatigue, and these interventions had a more general approach. These interventions were aimed at psychological distress, mood and physical symptoms, and varied strongly in duration and content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is limited evidence that psychosocial interventions during cancer treatment are effective in reducing fatigue. At present, psychosocial interventions specifically for fatigue are a promising type of intervention. However, there is no solid evidence for the effectiveness of interventions not specific for fatigue. Most aspects of the included studies were heterogeneous, and therefore it could not be established which other types of interventions, or elements were essential in reducing fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Expert Centre for Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Mercator 1, Toernooiveld 214, 6525 EC, Nijmegen, HB, Netherlands, Postbus 9101/6500. m.goedendorp@nkcv.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Martine Margaretha
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goedendorp
authors.forename: Marieke F M
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Gielissen
authors.forename: Constantijn A H H V M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bleijenberg
mesh_terms: D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic