quality of life in 2-5 yr cancer survivors

[Lani]

fatigue is the big factor in 41% --pain, cognitive problems, inactivity, weight gain, antidepressant use associated. If inertia could be overcome, might exercise help many/most of these? Pool therapy? Just thinking out loud!

1: Qual Life Res. 2007 Apr 25; [Epub ahead of print]
Fatigue in breast cancer survivors two to five years post diagnosis: a HEAL Study report.

Meeske K,
Smith AW,
Alfano CM,
McGregor BA,
McTiernan A,
Baumgartner KB,
Malone KE,
Reeve BB,
Ballard-Barbash R,
Bernstein L.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1444 Eastlake Avenue, Room 4449, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA, lbern@usc.edu.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to estimate prevalence of fatigue, identify correlates of fatigue and evaluate the relationship between fatigue and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a large cohort of disease-free breast cancer survivors. Methods Participants are enrolled in the HEAL Study, a multi-center prospective study of women diagnosed with in-situ to Stage IIIA breast cancer. HEAL participants (n = 1183) completed a baseline and a 24-month follow-up interview. Women in this report (n = 800) also completed a quality of life questionnaire that included the Piper Fatigue Scale and the RAND SF-36 two to five years after diagnosis. Multivariate regression methods were used to identify significant factors associated with fatigue. SF-36 scores for fatigued survivors were compared to non-fatigued survivor scores and population norms. Results Forty-one percent of the breast cancer survivors were fatigued. Significant correlates of fatigue included pain, cognitive problems, physical inactivity, weight gain/personal appearance and antidepressant use. Fatigue was associated with poorer HRQOL, most notably in areas of role and social functioning. Conclusion This study provides further support for the conclusion that a significant proportion of breast cancer survivors experience fatigue that compromises HRQOL two to five years post-diagnosis.
PMID: 17457697 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]