Assessment of Cancer-Related Fatigue Expression:Comparing the Expression of Fatigue in Patients with a History of Cancer,Patients with Other Chronic Diseases,and Healthy IndividualsOA

Aims:We aimed to compare cancer survivors’fatigue expression with that of the general population and examine psychobiological factors associated with fatigue.Procedure:In this quantitative,transversal study,we analyzed clinical and sociodemographic indicators of 389 participants(68.38%females):148 cancer survivors on active treatment,55 disease-free survivors,75 patients with another chronic disease,and 111 healthy individuals.Results:Fatigue was expressed dissimilarly in patients with a previous history of cancer and participants without a history of cancer.Survivors on active treatment reported significantly higher levels of fatigue than the other clinical status groups.Nonetheless,some level of cancer-related fatigue persisted,in a similar pattern,after active treatment into the survivorship phase.Disease-free survivors showed significantly lower vigor levels when compared to patients with other chronic diseases.Psychological distress and daytime sleepiness emerged as transdiagnostic factors associated with fatigue.Conclusion:Cancer-related fatigue may have a unique pattern,characterized by reduced endurance and muscle weakness.In the present study,psychological distress and daytime sleepiness are associated with cancer-related fatigue.These findings suggest the pertinence of future studies examining whether interventions targeting those factors may help manage this burdensome complaint.