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Fatigue in breast cancer survivors two to five years post diagnosis: a HEAL Study report

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Abstract

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.

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Abbreviations

HRQOL:

Health-Related Quality Of Life

QOL:

Quality Of Life

SEER:

Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results

HEAL:

Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle

OR:

Odds Ratio

R-PFS:

Revised-Piper Fatigue Scale

BCPT:

Breast Cancer Prevention Trial

HSC:

Hormone-related Symptom Checklist

SF-36:

Short Form-36

sd:

Standard deviation

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Acknowlegdments

This study was supported by NCI contracts N01-CN-75036-20, N01-CN-05228, N01-PC-67010 and a training grant T32 CA90661 that supports Dr. Meeske. Data collection for the Women’s CARE Study at the University of Southern California was supported by contract N01-HD-3-3175 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and patient identification was supported in part by contract 050Q-8709-S1528 from the California Department of Health Services.

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Correspondence to Leslie Bernstein.

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HEAL = Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle (HEAL) Study.

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Meeske, K., Smith, A.W., Alfano, C.M. et al. Fatigue in breast cancer survivors two to five years post diagnosis: a HEAL Study report. Qual Life Res 16, 947–960 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9215-3

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