Fatigue in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: a review of the literature

Abstract

The aim of this literature review was to evaluate the prevalence and course of fatigue in patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy and to examine factors relating to fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy. High and fluctuating prevalence rates of fatigue have been found not only during but also after adjuvant chemotherapy. The intensity of fatigue seems to be stable throughout the treatment cycles, despite the common perception that more chemotherapy treatments lead to greater fatigue. The first two days after a chemotherapy treatment seem to be the worst period. The influence of factors such as pain, impaired quality of sleep, and depression are be highly consistent across several studies, although it is often not clear whether it is the symptoms that cause the fatigue or vice versa. The outcomes of the studies indicate that several symptoms are interrelated in a network of symptoms. Factors such as changes in weight, menopausal symptoms, coping, social support, and biochemical changes have been mentioned in the literature as potentially contributing to fatigue. Results have been conflicting and need further study.