Cancer-related fatigue and its impact on quality of life in patients with central nervous system tumors: A cross-sectional analysis

• Main Authors: Gunjesh Kumar Singh, Litty Varghese, Nandini Menon, Ochin Dale, Vijay M Patil
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment
• Subjects: cancer-related fatigue; central nervous system tumor; neuro-oncology; quality of life; risk factors
• Online Access: http://www.crstonline.com/article.asp?issn=2590-3233;year=2021;volume=4;issue=1;spage=44;epage=49;aulast=Singh
• ISSN: 2590-3233; 2590-3225

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) has a high prevalence in individuals with cancer, especially in those with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, and impacts the quality of life (QOL). However, there are limited data on CRF in Indian patients with CNS tumors. Objective: We aimed to estimate the CRF scores in patients with CNS tumors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medical Oncology of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India, between May 2019 and August 2019. Patients with CNS tumors aged ≥18 years, who presented to the Neuro-Oncology Disease Management Group, were enrolled in the study. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Scale was used to collect data related to well-being and fatigue. Data were captured in a single visit. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with a high fatigue score. Results: There were 100 patients in our cohort with a median age of 40 (range, 18–64) years. The median fatigue score was 36. The median physical well-being, social well-being, emotional well-being, functional well-being, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) scores were 19, 19.9, 18, 17, and 72, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the fatigue score and the various subscales of FACT-G (P < 0.0001). The associated risk factors for CRF were age (P = 0.021), poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-Performance Status (ECOG PS) (2–3) (P < 0.0001), general category based on the payment ability of the patient (P = 0.004), ongoing treatment status (P = 0.0003), and the presence of recurrent disease (P = 0.001). Conclusion: CRF is common in patients with CNS tumors and impacts all aspect of the QOL. It is affected by age, ECOG PS, payment ability, treatment status, and disease recurrence status.