The association between fatigue and pain symptoms and decreased physical activity after cancer

Patients with cancer frequently experience symptoms such as fatigue and pain that can influence their ability to maintain their usual physical activity (PA). This study aimed to evaluate whether symptoms of fatigue and pain are associated with decreased PA among patients with cancer.

We recruited patients with a cancer diagnosis from one academic medical center and 11 affiliated community hospitals to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between symptoms, demographics, and clinical characteristics and decreased PA since cancer diagnosis.

Among 629 participants, 499 (79%) reported a decreased level of PA since their cancer diagnosis. In the past 7 days from the time of the survey, 78% of participants reported moderate to very severe fatigue, and 68% reported a pain level 4 or greater on a scale of 0 to 10. Adjusted for covariates, patients with fatigue (Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR 4.01, 95% CI 2.41-6.65) and pain (AOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.14-3.12) had higher odds of reporting decreased PA since diagnosis. Receipt of chemotherapy or currently receiving active cancer treatment was also associated with decreased PA (p < 0.05).

Fatigue and pain are associated with decreased PA among patients with cancer, even after adjusting for cancer treatment. Interventions focused on managing these symptoms may help promote maintenance of PA throughout cancer treatment and beyond.