How fatigue affects return to work in breast cancer patients

Fatigue after breast cancer treatment affects one in four women. Feeling tired affects womens daily activities, coping with the disease and quality of life. After active treatment, women want to return to their working lives, where fatigue is a barrier. Despite the fact of fatigue being such a common consequence of the treatment, it seems to be often overlooked.

This article is a substudy of the research focused on the complex experience of women with breast cancer. In this substudy, we focus on breast cancer patients perceptions of fatigue and its impact on daily life. A qualitative methodology was used to collect the data. The interviews were structured into two consecutive parts. The first, narrative part was followed by a semi-structured interview. The research population was recruited to meet the conditions of maximum variation sample (different regions of the country, age categories, education, stage of the disease, and treatment modality). Fifty-three interviews were collected and transcribed verbatim. The data from which the categories were created were analysed using NVivo10 software and were open coded. The codes were then grouped into themes for thematic analysis.

Most women experienced fatigue as a consequence of the disease. Fatigue often forced them to change their lifestyle. The women perceived great limitations when returning to work. They did not feel ready to return to work and often postponed it or considered changing their working hours or a type of job.

Fatigue seems to be an underestimated consequence of the treatment in breast cancer patients. It often leads to a forced change in womens lifestyle, which has a negative impact on their mental health. Methods to monitor fatigue and early interventions are needed to improve womens quality of life after the treatment.