PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical factors associated with cancer-related fatigue in patients being treated for leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS The sample included patients with acute leukemia (N=57), chronic leukemia (N=49), and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (N=122). Fatigue was measured by the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Fatigue and Vigor subscales of the POMS. Severe fatigue was defined as 7 or greater on "fatigue worst" item on BFI. Data on patients' demographics, ECOG performance status, physical symptoms, current treatments, and laboratory values were also collected. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS Severe fatigue was present in 50% of patients in the total sample. A greater percentage of patients with acute leukemia (61%) reported severe fatigue compared with chronic leukemia (47%) and NHL (46%). The mean "fatigue worst" score was 6.14 (SD=2.62) on 0-10 scale. Fatigue worst was not correlated with demographic variables, but it was strongly associated with performance status, use of opioiods, blood transfusions, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep disturbance items, as well as with low serum hemoglobin and albumin level. Nausea and low serum albumin were predictors of severe fatigue. CONCLUSION Fatigue was associated with physical symptoms and interfered with many aspects of the patient's daily life. The appropriate management of other symptoms may decrease the patient's level of fatigue. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms responsible for severe fatigue related to treatment in these patient groups.
Learning Objectives: Particiapnts will be able to: 1) describe the clinical factors associated with cancer-related fatigue in patients being treated for leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 2) discuss application of findings in their clinical practice.
Keywords: Cancer, Epidemiology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.