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Chronic fatigue and its correlates in long-term survivors of cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy

  1. I Vistad1,*,
  2. SD Fosså2,
  3. GB Kristensen3,
  4. AA Dahl2

Article first published online: 26 JUL 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01445.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 114, Issue 9, pages 1150–1158, September 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Vistad, I., Fosså, S., Kristensen, G. and Dahl, A. (2007), Chronic fatigue and its correlates in long-term survivors of cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 114: 1150–1158. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01445.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Gynaecology, Sorlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand, Norway

  2. 2

    The Cancer Clinic, Section for Long-term Studies, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

  3. 3

    Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, Oslo, Norway

*Dr I Vistad, Department of Gynaecology, Sorlandet Hospital HF, Service Box 416, 4604 Kristiansand, Norway. Email ingvild.vistad@sshf.no

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 26 JUL 2007
  2. Article first published online: 26 JUL 2007
  3. Accepted 28 May 2007. Published OnlineEarly 26 July 2007.

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Keywords:

  • Cervical cancer;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • late effects;
  • long-term survivors;
  • radiotherapy

Objective  To describe the prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF) and associated variables in locoregional cervical cancer survivors (CCSs) surveyed >5 years after radiotherapy. Demographic, clinical and psychological characteristics of the CCSs were compared with normative data.

Design  Cross-sectional study.

Setting  Department of Gynaecologic Oncology at Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, Oslo, Norway.

Population  Seventy-nine CCSs aged ≤79 years, treated between 1994 and 1999, representing 62% of those invited. Normative data were based on various population studies of Norwegian women.

Methods  Data were collected by means of a mailed questionnaire, which included demographic variables and instruments covering fatigue, mental distress, sexual functioning, somatic impairments and quality of life (QOL).

Main outcome measures  Self-reported fatigue score and caseness of CF based on the fatigue questionnaire.

Results  CCSs showed 30% CF versus 13% reported in the general population (P= 0.001). CCSs with CF had a significantly lower QOL, higher levels of anxiety and depression and more physical impairments than those without CF. In a multivariable regression model, depression was the only variable significantly associated with CF in CCSs.

Conclusions  More CCSs have CF than age-matched women in the general population. CF should be of clinical concern since these women also frequently have treatable mental and physical problems.

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