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Category: Volume 05 Issue 10 October 2017
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Title: Cancer related fatigue-Analysing its causes to find the road map to its treatment- in the Indian scenario

Authors: Sundaresan .C, P.K.Baskar

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i10.56

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue profoundly affects the physical, psychosocial, and occupational aspects of both patients and their families, thereby it results in marked deterioration of the patient’s quality of life (QOL)[1]. The prevalence of CRF has been estimated to be occurring in 50% to 90%  of cancer patients. This symptom has been found to be associated with sleep disorders, anemia, low performance status etc, due to its multifactorial associations many a times it is under-diagnosed, But if properly screened & treated it can drastically improve the quality of life in cancer patients.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate:

  • The overall prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients in our tertiary care centre &
  • To find out the co-relation of fatigue with age, gender, cancer stage, cancer site anemia, performance status, sleep disorders so that in future we can tailor the treatment of fatigue as per the underlying cause.

Results: Fatigue was strongly related to sleeplessness (P < 0.0001) reduced performance status and anemia with Hb< 9gm/dl (p< 0.02). However, CRF was not found to affiliated to any one gender or any particular age group.

Conclusions:  Prevalance of CANCER RELATED FATIGUE is around 66% in our centre Highly co-related with sleep disturbance.

Anemia as per Indian standards (Hb<9gm) is associated with CRF, Higher stage of disease portends higher CRF values, No gender or age bias was noted.

Keywords: Checklist individual strength (CIS), cancer related fatigue (CRF), sleeplessness, anemia.

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Corresponding Author

Sundaresan .C