Fatigue in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia in Japan

  1. Ayako Nagai1,
  2. Ning Zou1,
  3. Masaru Kubota1,*,
  4. Chiaki Kojima1,
  5. Souichi Adachi3,
  6. Ikuya Usami4,
  7. Masayuki Okada6,
  8. Akihiko Tanizawa7,
  9. Keigo Hamahata8,
  10. Kousaku Matsubara5,
  11. Manryoku Higuchi2,
  12. Masue Imaizumi9

Article first published online: 13 FEB 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2011.03530.x

Issue

Pediatrics International

Pediatrics International

Volume 54, Issue 2, pages 272–276, April 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Nagai, A., Zou, N., Kubota, M., Kojima, C., Adachi, S., Usami, I., Okada, M., Tanizawa, A., Hamahata, K., Matsubara, K., Higuchi, M. and Imaizumi, M. (2012), Fatigue in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia in Japan. Pediatrics International, 54: 272–276. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2011.03530.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University

  2. 2

    Department of Pediatrics, Nara Medical University Hospital, Nara

  3. 3

    Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto

  4. 4

    Department of Pediatrics, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital

  5. 5

    Department of Pediatrics, Nishi-Kobe Medical Center, Kobe

  6. 6

    Department of Pediatrics, Tenri Hospital, Tenri

  7. 7

    Department of Pediatrics, Fukui University Hospital, Fukui

  8. 8

    Department of Pediatrics, Japanese Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center, Wakayama

  9. 9

    Department of Hematology and Oncology, Miyagi Children's Hospital, Miyagi, Japan

*Masaru Kubota, MD, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University, Kitauoya-nishi Machi, Nara 630-8506, Japan. Email: mkubota@cc.nara-wu.ac.jp

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 APR 2012
  2. Article first published online: 13 FEB 2012
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 2 DEC 2011 07:25AM EST
  4. Received 4 June 2011; revised 16 September 2011; accepted 24 November 2011.

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (100K)

Keywords:

  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia;
  • acute myeloid leukemia;
  • cancer survivor;
  • fatigue;
  • questionnaire

Abstract

Background:  Fatigue in cancer survivors is a serious problem in pediatric oncology, but reports on this issue are limited, especially in Asian countries.

Methods:  Sixty-three patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 18 patients with acute myeloid leukemia who attended a follow-up outpatient clinic were enrolled. Participants were required to be >8 years of age, in remission, and without any cancer treatment for at least the previous 1 year. A control group consisted of 243 subjects whose age and gender were matched with the patient group. A questionnaire consisting of 12 items was devised for fatigue measurement.

Results:  Principal factor analysis identified three dimensions, defined as physical fatigue, decreased function, and altered mood. The mean total and the three fatigue dimension scores tended to be higher in the control group, but significant differences between the scores were seen only in the total and physical fatigue scores. Multiple regression analysis indicated an association of present older age or shorter duration after completion of treatment with total and physical fatigue, and an association of presence of total body irradiation with decreased function.

Conclusion:  Pediatric leukemia survivors in Japan experience equal or less fatigue compared with that of controls in different fatigue dimensions. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms of cancer-related fatigue including the differences of cultural background among different countries is necessary for future study of this issue.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (100K)