Depressed women experience more fatigue due to breast cancer
A recent study reported that women with a history of depression are at high risk of experiencing more severe fatigue in the early stages of breast cancer, when compared to women with breast cancer who were not depressed. The findings highlighted the impact of mental health on physical ailments.
The study, published in the journal Cancer, was designed to assess the duration and intensity of fatigue in women with early-stage breast cancer, throughout their journey of treatment. The study included 270 women with stage 0 to stage IIIA breast cancer, before undergoing adjuvant therapy. The assessments were done at baseline, post-treatment, and at 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months follow-up.
Five different fatigue intensities were distinguished: low levels of fatigue across assessments; high fatigue across evaluations; high fatigue at baseline that decreased over time; low fatigue at baseline that increased over time; increased fatigue after treatment that decreased over time. Psychological factors were strongly associated with high fatigue at the start of and during the treatment. Treatment-related factors were also linked with fatigue intensities.
Although the experience of fatigue varied among women with early-stage breast cancer, a majority of the women reported low fatigue. However, women with a history of depression and elevated psychological distress had high risk of more severe and persistent fatigue. So, patients should seek consultation from their healthcare providers to address their mental health issues to help manage their fatigue.
Source:
Bower JE, Ganz PA, Irwin MR, Cole SW, Garet D, Petersen L, Asher A, Hurvitz SA, Crespi CM. Do all patients with cancer experience fatigue? A longitudinal study of fatigue trajectories in women with breast cancer. Cancer. 2021 Feb 19.
Source link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33606273/
previous news – Lotus leaf extracts may hold potential for breast cancer treatment
Pingback:Diet that reduces diabetes risk also lowers breast cancer risk . - Dr. Pragnya Chigurupati