We did a search of work published between January, 1997, and October, 2002, using the following databases: Medline, Cancerlit, Cinahl, and the Cochrane Library. We also consulted some classic work published before 1997. Abstracts from the past 5 years of meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Cancer Conference (ECCO) were reviewed. Only studies published in English and done in adults have been included. The key words used in searches were: assessment,
ReviewAssessment and management of cancer-related fatigue in adults
Section snippets
Definition
Cancer-related fatigue, defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) as “a persistent, subjective sense of tiredness related to cancer or cancer treatment that interferes with usual functioning”,10, 11 can be described in terms of perceived energy, mental capacity, and psychological status.12, 13 It arises over a continuum, ranging from tiredness to exhaustion. But, by contrast with the tiredness sometimes felt by a healthy individual, cancer-related fatigue is perceived as being
Cause
The specific mechanisms involved in the development of cancer-related fatigue are not completely known, but both physiological and psychosocial factors play a part.
Conclusion
Although fatigue is the most prevalent symptom reported by cancer patients, the assessment and management of this distressing side-effect of cancer and cancer treatment has been limited. This paucity of work is related to many factors, including a lack of understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cancer-related disease, a lack of awareness by cancer-care providers of the importance of the problem, and a lack of evidence-based interventions to manage the condition.74
Treatment of anaemia
Search strategy and selection criteria
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