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Review
. 2022 May;30(5):3733-3744.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-06787-5. Epub 2022 Jan 11.

Routine cancer treatments and their impact on physical function, symptoms of cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression

Niklas Paul Grusdat  1 , Alexander Stäuber  2 , Marion Tolkmitt  3 , Jens Schnabel  3 , Birgit Schubotz  4 , Peter Richard Wright  5 , Henry Schulz  2
Affiliations
Review

Routine cancer treatments and their impact on physical function, symptoms of cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression

Niklas Paul Grusdat et al. Support Care Cancer. 2022 May.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Breast cancer can be a major challenge for affected women. Knowledge of the physical function, symptoms of cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression based on the cancer treatment may help to guide adequate support.

Methods: For this prospective observational study, we collected data from seventy-nine women with a mean age 54.6 ± 9.5 years prior to the onset of breast cancer treatment (T0) and after (T1/T2). Handgrip strength test (HGS), six-minute walk test (6MWT), the phase angle (PhA), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F) were used to collect data from four treatment subgroups SC, surgery + chemotherapy; SCR, surgery + chemotherapy + radiation therapy; SR, surgery + radiation therapy; and S, surgery.

Results: A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between time and group for PhA, F = 8.55, p < 0.01; HGS, F = 3.59, p < 0.01; 6MWT, F = 4.47, p < 0.01; and FACIT-F, F = 2.77, p < 0.05 with most pronounced deterioration seen in group SCR (PhA 4.8°; HGS 27.5 kg, 6MWT 453.4 m, FACIT-F 33.8 points). HADS data displayed moderate anxiety and depression predominantly after treatment.

Conclusion: Our study showed that the extent of change in physical function, symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, and depression depends on the treatment conditions. The potentially higher risk of impaired function due to the prevalence of values below a critical threshold requires early initiated multidisciplinary support.

Keywords: Mental health; Physical function; Support; Survivorship.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
STROBE flow diagram of the prospective observational study in women with breast cancer
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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