TY - JOUR
T1 - Appropriateness of the treatment of fatigued patients with stage IV cancer
AU - Cheville, Andrea L.
AU - Shen, Tiffany
AU - Chang, Megan
AU - Basford, Jeffrey R.
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - Background: Fatigue among patients with cancer is prevalent, disabling, and treatable. While fatigue management guidelines have been in place for a decade, their use remains unclear. Methods: We surveyed 160 patients with stage IV lung (40), breast (40), colon (40), and prostate (40) cancer who reported moderate to severe fatigue (i.e., >5 of 10 on an 11-point numerical rating scale). Participants were queried about receipt of treatments in fatigue management domains emphasized in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines: general management strategies, activity enhancement, psychosocial strategies, and pharmaceuticals. Results: The cohort was half male, had a mean age of 67, and reported an average fatigue rating of 6.4. Participants reported treatment or receipt of specific guidance in the fatigue management domains as follows: general management strategies 16.8 %, activity enhancement 11.9 %, psychosocial strategies 9.9 %, and pharmaceuticals 37.3 %. Fatigue >7 of 10 increased the likelihood of instruction in activity enhancement but no other domain. Conclusion: The low rates of guideline-congruent treatment reported here are concerning, particularly as better validated behavioral treatments were the least prescribed.
AB - Background: Fatigue among patients with cancer is prevalent, disabling, and treatable. While fatigue management guidelines have been in place for a decade, their use remains unclear. Methods: We surveyed 160 patients with stage IV lung (40), breast (40), colon (40), and prostate (40) cancer who reported moderate to severe fatigue (i.e., >5 of 10 on an 11-point numerical rating scale). Participants were queried about receipt of treatments in fatigue management domains emphasized in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines: general management strategies, activity enhancement, psychosocial strategies, and pharmaceuticals. Results: The cohort was half male, had a mean age of 67, and reported an average fatigue rating of 6.4. Participants reported treatment or receipt of specific guidance in the fatigue management domains as follows: general management strategies 16.8 %, activity enhancement 11.9 %, psychosocial strategies 9.9 %, and pharmaceuticals 37.3 %. Fatigue >7 of 10 increased the likelihood of instruction in activity enhancement but no other domain. Conclusion: The low rates of guideline-congruent treatment reported here are concerning, particularly as better validated behavioral treatments were the least prescribed.
KW - Cancer
KW - Fatigue
KW - National Comprehensive Cancer Network
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-012-1515-7
DO - 10.1007/s00520-012-1515-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 22915355
AN - SCOPUS:84874107239
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 21
SP - 229
EP - 233
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 1
ER -