title: Interventions for cancer-related fatigue: a scoping review.
abstract: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is common and can be distressing for some survivors. There is increasing interest in measuring levels of CRF, highlighting its impact on quality of life. This review describes the nature and scope of evidence relating to interventions for CRF. Scoping review methodology was used to identify studies, extract data, collate and summarise results. Data were collated according to cancer tumour streams, stage of illness and the types of trial interventions. A total of 447 trials and 37 systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Nine papers reported longitudinal results. Populations studied were predominantly of mixed cancer diagnoses and breast cancer. The most frequent interventions were exercise, pharmacological, psycho-education and mind-body interventions. Fatigue was identified as a primary outcome measure (OM) in 58% of studies, with 58 different fatigue measures reported. Emerging evidence exists for the effectiveness of fatigue interventions for some cancer types. More research on interventions with participants with the same cancer type and illness phase is needed. Measurement of severity and impact of CRF using fewer, robust OMs will permit comparisons across studies.
authors.affiliation: La Trobe Rural Health School, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: E J M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1606-3124
authors.initials: EJM
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine Research, School Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic., Australia.|Healthscope Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: VicRoads, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.|La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: di Stefano
authors.affiliation: La Trobe Rural Health School, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: McKinstry
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D018529:Nutritional Support; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D018401:Sample Size
keywords: cancer; cancer-related fatigue; fatigue measurement; scoping review; supportive care; symptom management