title: Fatigue scores in patients receiving palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to examine changes in fatigue scores for patients receiving radiation therapy for bone metastases and its impact on quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigue and QOL scores were prospectively collected in patients for up to 3 months following radiation therapy for bone metastases using three questionnaires: group 1, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) (0-10); group 2, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30); and Core 15 Palliative (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) (1-4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average fatigue score in group 1 (399 patients) was 4.72 at baseline, 5.08 at month 1, 5.01 at month 2, and 4.95 at month 3, and was 2.40, 2.39, 2.56, and 2.70 in group 2 (482 patients), respectively. Thirty-five percent of patients in group 1 had fatigue score increase ≥2 points at month 1, 36% at month 2, and 36% at month 3. Twenty-one percent of patients in group 2 had fatigue score increase ≥1 at month 1, 27% at month 2, and 40% at month 3. There was a statistically significant increase in fatigue score from baseline to all 3 months in group 1 only. In both groups, there was a highly significant negative correlation between fatigue and overall QOL scores at baseline and any follow-up month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a statistically significant worsening in fatigue in group 1 only. Up to one third had increased fatigue of clinical significance. Patients with less fatigue symptoms reported better overall QOL.
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pulenzas
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mauti
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Nemica
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thavarajah
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Danjoux
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DeAngelis
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires