Fatigue in cancer survivors--prevalence and correlates.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and influencing factors of fatigue in cancer survivors.


METHODS
646 cancer survivors completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), in addition to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Quality Of Life questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30), the subscale 'social support' of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale (FACT), the Perceived Adjustment to Chronic Illness Scale (PACIS), and a questionnaire containing items on demographic and clinical data.


RESULTS
36% of cancer survivors suffer from moderate, 12% from severe fatigue. Fatigue was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, adjustment to the illness, pain, dyspnoea, age, lacking social support, and sex. Other socio-demographic, cancer-related, and treatment-related factors had no influence on fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
Fatigue in cancer survivors is strongly linked to physical and psychological aspects.
Kuhnt
Susanne
S
Selbständige Abteilung für Sozialmedizin, Universität Leipzig, Germany. Susanne.kuhnt@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Ernst
Jochen
J
Singer
Susanne
S
Rüffer
Jens Ulrich
JU
Kortmann
Rolf-Dieter
RD
Stolzenburg
Jens-Uwe
JU
Schwarz
Reinhold
R
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011584:Psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors