Fatigue among Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Fatigue is a prevalent symptom in breast cancer survivors, persisting long after diagnosis.
• The long-term impact of fatigue in this population requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of fatigue in long-term breast cancer survivors versus a matched reference population.
• To identify factors contributing to fatigue among breast cancer survivors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional cohort study involving 350 breast cancer survivors (≥5 years post-diagnosis) and 350 controls.
• Fatigue assessed using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20); multidimensional fatigue defined as a score >60.
• Logistic regression analysis adjusted for BMI, cardiovascular, and psychological variables.

Main Results:

• Long-term breast cancer survivors reported significantly higher rates of multidimensional fatigue (26.6%) compared to the reference group (15.4%).
• Multidimensional fatigue was strongly associated with symptoms of depression (OR 17.0) and anxiety (OR 6.4) in survivors.
• The increased odds of fatigue persisted after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions:

• Approximately one in four long-term breast cancer survivors experience multidimensional fatigue.
• Fatigue is more common in breast cancer survivors than in the general population, even years after treatment.
• Depression and anxiety are significant contributing factors to persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors.