For many patients, fatigue is the constant reminder that they have cancer. The causes and effects of fatigue are complex, and there is no established method to assess it. Patients may not report it and clinicians are usually focused on other indicators. While thousands of cancer studies have been conducted, researchers are only now beginning to study cancer fatigue. Symptoms Of Cancer Fatigue Patients treated by either surgery, radiation or chemotherapy experience such side effects as pain, nausea, and fatigue as a consequence of the treatment.
Cancer fatigue can have mental and emotional effects as well.
Patients may have difficulty concentrating while reading or watching television, or have trouble thinking clearly and making decisions. Fatigue also may underlie patients' feelings of low self-esteem and frustration, often resulting in feelings of helplessness or despair. Changes in sleep, daily activity or eating patterns can cause fatigue, as can anxiety, depression or stress. Consequences Of Fatigue Aside from the discomfort of feeling exhausted, fatigue can pose a number of obstacles to coping with cancer and reaping the full benefits of available treatments. Fatigue can significantly interfere with a patient's quality of life and may limit the number of chemotherapy cycles that could be administered, which may limit the effectiveness of treatment altogether.