Cancer‐related fatigue and treatment burden in surgically treated colorectal cancer patients – A cross‐sectional study
Cancer‐related fatigue and treatment burden in surgically treated colorectal cancer patients – A cross‐sectional study
Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to describe cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who were surgically treated with curative intent, identify subgroups at risk of elevated fatigue levels and explore associations between CRF and treatment burden. Background: CRF is a prominent symptom among cancer patients. In patients treated for CRC, CRF is associated with adjuvant treatments, low quality of life and reduced ability to self-manage. Methods: One hundred thirty-four patients with CRC treated at a Norwegian university hospital between 2016–2018 were included. The Schwartz Cancer Fatigue Scale-6 and the Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-management questionnaires were applied for data collection. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and non-parametric approaches to analyse correlations and identify differences between groups. The study adhered to STROBE Statement checklist for reporting of cross-sectional studies. Results: Median fatigue level was 10.0 (range: 7.0–13.0). Physical fatigue was higher than perceptual fatigue, with medians of 6.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.0–13.0) and 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–12.0), respectively. Higher fatigue levels were associated with age <60 years, advanced cancer and adjuvant treatments. Increased CRF was significantly associated with higher treatment burden on seven of the nine dimensions, adjusted for demographic and clinical variables. The association of fatigue and treatment burden was stronger in survivors <60 years, with advanced cancer, 6–12 months since surgery or who had more comorbid conditions. Conclusions: This study showed patients at risk of experiencing CRF following CRC treatment. It established proof of associations between CRF and treatment burden and identified subgroups of CRC patients where this association was stronger. Relevance to clinical practice: Screening of CRF in CRC patients can help clinicians provide individualized treatment and care to manage CRF. Clinicians should consider the association between CRF and treatment burden, especially in subgroups of CRF patients.
cancer-related fatigue, colorectal cancer, cross-sectional survey, self-management, treatment burden
Husebø, Anne Marie Lunde
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Dalen, Ingvild
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Søreide, Jon Arne
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Bru, Edvin
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Richardson, Alison
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Husebø, Anne Marie Lunde
c4be371f-0fb6-465f-bb76-f72650fa3e14
Dalen, Ingvild
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Søreide, Jon Arne
1d9b3bac-ea30-4022-8336-b5816043e230
Bru, Edvin
22a82d52-503a-4a6c-83af-73fbccd2a996
Richardson, Alison
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Husebø, Anne Marie Lunde, Dalen, Ingvild, Søreide, Jon Arne, Bru, Edvin and Richardson, Alison
(2021)
Cancer‐related fatigue and treatment burden in surgically treated colorectal cancer patients – A cross‐sectional study.
Journal of Clinical Nursing.
(doi:10.1111/jocn.16135).
Abstract
Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to describe cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who were surgically treated with curative intent, identify subgroups at risk of elevated fatigue levels and explore associations between CRF and treatment burden. Background: CRF is a prominent symptom among cancer patients. In patients treated for CRC, CRF is associated with adjuvant treatments, low quality of life and reduced ability to self-manage. Methods: One hundred thirty-four patients with CRC treated at a Norwegian university hospital between 2016–2018 were included. The Schwartz Cancer Fatigue Scale-6 and the Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-management questionnaires were applied for data collection. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and non-parametric approaches to analyse correlations and identify differences between groups. The study adhered to STROBE Statement checklist for reporting of cross-sectional studies. Results: Median fatigue level was 10.0 (range: 7.0–13.0). Physical fatigue was higher than perceptual fatigue, with medians of 6.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.0–13.0) and 4.0 (IQR: 3.0–12.0), respectively. Higher fatigue levels were associated with age <60 years, advanced cancer and adjuvant treatments. Increased CRF was significantly associated with higher treatment burden on seven of the nine dimensions, adjusted for demographic and clinical variables. The association of fatigue and treatment burden was stronger in survivors <60 years, with advanced cancer, 6–12 months since surgery or who had more comorbid conditions. Conclusions: This study showed patients at risk of experiencing CRF following CRC treatment. It established proof of associations between CRF and treatment burden and identified subgroups of CRC patients where this association was stronger. Relevance to clinical practice: Screening of CRF in CRC patients can help clinicians provide individualized treatment and care to manage CRF. Clinicians should consider the association between CRF and treatment burden, especially in subgroups of CRF patients.
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Journal of Clinical Nursing - 2021 - Huseb - Cancer‐related fatigue and treatment burden in surgically treated colorectal
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Cancer-related fatigue and treatment burden...
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Accepted/In Press date: 4 November 2021
e-pub ahead of print date: 23 November 2021
Additional Information:
Funding information:
The study was funded by the Western Norway Regional Health Authority as part of a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (HV912147)
Alison Richardson’s contribution to this research was, in part, supported by NIHR ARC Wessex. Professor Richardson is an National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the National Institute for Health Research, NHS England and NHS Improvement or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Keywords:
cancer-related fatigue, colorectal cancer, cross-sectional survey, self-management, treatment burden
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 452956
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/452956
ISSN: 0962-1067
PURE UUID: d4ed450e-e6b5-4b84-8eed-692e9ab3b400
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Date deposited: 07 Jan 2022 11:46
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 01:47
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Author:
Anne Marie Lunde Husebø
Author:
Ingvild Dalen
Author:
Jon Arne Søreide
Author:
Edvin Bru
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