Frequency and Correlates of Fatigue in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy: Implications for Management

The medical records of 50 consecutive patients receiving radiation therapy for histologically diagnosed lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed to determine the frequency of fatigue and its relationship to pain, depression, and other potentially treatable correlates. Fatigue developed in 39 of the 50 patients (78%), and was not strongly related to demographic or disease variables. Pain was experienced by 40 patients (80%), but depression was noted in the records of only six patients (12%). Onset of fatigue closely followed development of pain in only 11 patients. Lower frequency of fatigue in patients with previous surgery or chemotherapy and the likelihood of a response shift suggest these were not significant causes of fatigue. Previous studies highlight a higher frequency of depression in cancer patients and a correlation with treatment-related fatigue. Prospective studies on the relationship between depression and fatigue and the ability of antidepressants to ameliorate treatment-related fatigue are needed.