Research Article

Increased prevalence of chronic fatigue among survivors of childhood cancers: A population-based study†

  1. Inga M.R. Jóhannsdóttir MD1,*,
  2. Marianne J. Hjermstad PhD, MPH2,3,
  3. Prof. Torbjørn Moum4,
  4. Finn Wesenberg MD, PhD5,
  5. Lars Hjorth MD, PhD6,
  6. Henrik Schrøder MD, PhD7,
  7. Susanna Mört RN, MNSc8,
  8. Gudmundur Jónmundsson MD9,
  9. Jon H. Loge1,4

Article first published online: 21 MAR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/pbc.23111

Issue

Pediatric Blood & Cancer

Pediatric Blood & Cancer

Volume 58, Issue 3, pages 415–420, March 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jóhannsdóttir, I. M.R., Hjermstad, M. J., Moum, T., Wesenberg, F., Hjorth, L., Schrøder, H., Mört, S., Jónmundsson, G. and Loge, J. H. (2012), Increased prevalence of chronic fatigue among survivors of childhood cancers: A population-based study. Pediatr. Blood Cancer, 58: 415–420. doi: 10.1002/pbc.23111

Author Information

  1. 1

    National Resource Center for Late Effects, Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

  2. 2

    Regional Center for Excellence in Palliative Care, Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway

  3. 3

    European Palliative care Research, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

  4. 4

    Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

  5. 5

    Department of Pediatrics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

  6. 6

    Department of Pediatrics, Skåne University Hospital, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

  7. 7

    Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Aarhus, Skejby, Denmark

  8. 8

    University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science, Hoitotieteen laitos, Turun yliopisto, Finland

  9. 9

    Department of Pediatrics, Landspitalinn University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland

*National Resource Center for Late Effects, Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Montebello, 0310 Oslo, Norway.

  1. †

    Conflict of interest: nothing to declare.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 JAN 2012
  2. Article first published online: 21 MAR 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 7 FEB 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 10 NOV 2010

Funded by

  • Norwegian Cancer Society
  • Nordic Cancer Union

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Keywords:

  • children;
  • fatigue;
  • health-related quality of life;
  • neoplasms

Abstract

Background

Fatigue is prevalent in adult cancer survivors but less studied in childhood cancer survivors. Aims were to assess fatigue levels, prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF) and the association of CF with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in survivors of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), infratentorial astrocytoma (IA), and Wilms tumor (WT) in childhood.

Procedure

Seventy percent (398/567) of Nordic patients treated for AML, IA, and WT between 1985 and 2001 at age >1 year responded to a postal survey, encompassing the Fatigue Questionnaire and the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Participants were divided into two groups at time of study; younger (YG, 13–18 years) and older (OG, 19–34 years). Respondents (19–34 years, n = 763) from a Norwegian general population (GP) survey served as controls for the OG.

Results

The OG [mean age was 24 years (SD 3.3)] had higher fatigue levels compared to the YG and the GP, especially the females (P < 0.05). There was also a higher prevalence of CF in the OG than in the GP (14 vs. 6%, P < 0.001). Regardless of diagnosis, the OG with CF had poorer physical health (P < 0.05) on the SF-36 but better mental health (P < 0.05 and P = 0.001) relative to controls with CF.

Conclusions

The prevalence of CF is higher among Nordic survivors of AML, IA, and WT than GP controls of similar age. CF is associated with impaired HRQoL in survivors. However, they reported better mental health than CF GP controls. This might indicate different underlying mechanisms of CF in the two populations. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 58: 415–420. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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