Effect of Bright Light on Fatigue in Breast Cancer
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Introduction: Patients treated with chemotherapy complain of poor sleep, fatigue and depression. In addition, chemotherapy disrupts the body's internal "biological clock", which may make sleep, fatigue and depression all worse. Women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy are not exposed to much bright light and this may also contribute to the disruption of their body's internal "biological clock," because bright light is necessary for a strong biological clock. One of the easiest ways to strengthen the biological clock is by increasing bright light exposure. The correct timing of the light exposure will help the women feel more alert during the day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hypotheses: Fatigue is described as a general tiredness or an overwhelming lack of energy that is often associated with a need to rest, inability to regain energy even with rest, and lack of interest in events. The principal focus of this proposal is to examine the effect of bright light exposure on fatigue, sleep, mood, and daily functioning in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The three main hypotheses are that increased bright light exposure during chemotherapy will: 1) decrease fatigue and improve mood and daily functioning; 2) improve both the quality and quantity of sleep, and 3) strengthen the body's internal "biological clock," particularly the sleep/wake rhythm.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Methodology: Fatigue, mood, daily functioning, sleep and the sleep/wake cycle will be measured with questionnaires and with sleep recordings before chemotherapy begins in women with breast cancer. Women will be assigned to either bright light treatment or dim light treatment. The light will be administered with special light boxes during cycles 1-4 of chemotherapy. Fatigue, mood, daily functioning, sleep and the sleep/wake cycle will be re-measured during the first and last weeks of cycle 1 and of cycle 4 of chemotherapy to evaluate the effect of light treatment.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Innovative elements: This proposal is innovative because it is one of the first to look at how fatigue might be improved with non-drug therapy. It also looks to see if the non-drug therapy will improve the women's sleep, mood and daily functioning. Understanding how the sleep/wake cycle can be strengthened to reduce fatigue is a relatively new topic within the field of breast cancer. Finding ways to reduce fatigue without drugs may help women tolerate their chemotherapy better, and be able to function better each day. All of these findings should help health professionals be more effective in the treatment of fatigue.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Advocacy involvement: The Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization and Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation list fatigue as one of the most common side effects of cancer treatment, making it an important area for research. Symptoms of fatigue include weakness, difficulty thinking, and tiredness and lead to a decreased ability to perform everyday activities, like eating or visiting with family and friends. Treatments listed for fatigue include resting, getting enough sleep, exercising, eating right and conserving energy. But none of these treatments is wholly effective. Dr. Ancoli-Israel and Dr. Sadler are members of the UCSD Cancer Center's Outreach Program, which has also identified fatigue and poor sleep as common complaints among breast cancer patients and facilitates research in this area. Women have reported a desire for non-pharmacological ways to improve both sleep and fatigue and have promised support in helping with the project.