Longitudinal study on cancer-related fatigue and influencing factors among breast cancer patients during rehabilitation treatment period / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To describe status of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and its trajectory during three different time node for the operation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy among breast cancer patients. Methods The convenience sampling method was used for 242 cases diagnosed with breast cancer which prepared for breast cancer resection, prepared to be treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and conformed to the sample standard from a tumor hospital and two affiliated hospital of medical college from February 2014 to November 2015 in a city. The follow-up survey of CRF was conducted respectively in the three different point-in-time for one week after the operation, at the end of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Results After the operation mean rating for general fatigue was mild (2.59±2.41) points, and approximately 76.0% (184/242) patients experienced fatigue to low- grade degree; After the chemotherapy fatigue was significantly increased (6.57 ± 2.43) points, and 75.2% (182/242) patients accounted for severe fatigue; After the radiotherapy mean rating for fatigue was moderate (4.38 ± 2.46) points, and 57.0%(138/242) patients suffered to moderate fatigue. During the whole treatment period the level for general fatigue and four dimensions of fatigue were in the unstable state ofwaveof fluctuations with mild, severe, moderate, and fatigue were statistically different in three different stages of treatment ( F= 43.16,P=0.000). The age and operation method were associated with CRF in thephaseofoperation(age t=7.365, P=0.003; operation method t=5.166, P=0.009), chemotherapy (age t=9.835, P=0.000; operation method t=3.313, P=0.025) and radiotherapy (age t=9.014, P=0.000;operation method t=10.392, P=0.000). Conclusions There is a certain difference with CRF of breast cancer patients at different stage of rehabilitation treatment. There are two factors that could affect CRF such as age and operation method in the whole rehabilitation treatmentperiod.