Patient and health care provider perceptions of cancer-related fatigue and pain

open access
 20 May 2016

 With recent changes in the management of cancer, longer life expectancy, and a heightened awareness of supportive care issues, an updated analysis to evaluate the current prevalence and perception of fatigue in current oncology practice was needed. We aimed to determine whether HCP awareness of the substantial impact of fatigue on the lives of patients with cancer has led to a decrease in its prevalence. We also aimed to compare perspectives on fatigue to similar perspectives on pain in cancer.

 Patient-reported most recently diagnosed cancer (number [%]) included breast (212 [39]), lung (74 [14]), colon (47 [9]), ovarian (44 [8]), prostate (30 [6]), uterine (16 [3]), liver (15 [3]), brain (13 [2]), bladder (12 [2]), and rectal (12 [2]).

 

Purpose

In 1997, Vogelzang et al. reported that 61 % of patients with cancer indicated fatigue impacted daily life more than pain, and only 37 % of oncologists shared this perception. We provide an update to this study, which can help prioritize symptom assessment and management in the clinic. Study aims were to determine and compare perceptions of patients with cancer and health care providers (HCPs) of the impact of fatigue and pain.

Conclusions

This study shows the importance of assessing symptoms by direct patient report during chemotherapy treatment. HCPs continue to underestimate the prevalence and importance of fatigue and pain for patients with cancer, a finding that may alter the management of treatment-related symptoms and may influence the development of patient symptom management plans.