Fatigue After Breast Cancer Radiotherapy – Causes and Treatment

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Radiotherapy plays an important role in treating breast cancer. However, often-overlooked adverse effects include fatigue.

Fatigue is one of the most common adverse effects of breast cancer radiotherapy.

It can arise during and after radiotherapy and continue for months or years after treatment ends.

Several factors related to breast cancer radiotherapy may cause fatigue, including:

• Damage to tissues exposed to radiation
• The body working harder to fight infection
• Hormonal changes
• Stress

Fatigue can make daily activities difficult and interfere with adherence to treatment.

A New Study

A new study examined long-term risk factors for fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy using the REQUITE dataset. REQUITE followed 1443 women with breast cancer for 2 years.

This is the first study to assess long-term risk factors for fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy.

Researchers assessed five dimensions of fatigue:

• General fatigue,
• physical fatigue,
• mental fatigue,
• reduced activity and
• reduced motivation.

They also evaluated patient characteristics such as age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, depression, pain, insomnia, fatigue and treatment type.

They found that fatigue scores approached normal after 2 years, although some patients developed lasting fatigue following radiotherapy.

Factors associated with a risk of prolonged fatigue included:

• Pain,
• insomnia,
• depression,
• low body weight,
• younger age and
• endocrine (hormonal) therapy.

In conclusion, the study identified long-term risk factors for fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy: pain, insomnia, depression, low weight, younger age and endocrine therapy. This information may help identify high-risk patients and provide appropriate treatment. 

Study Limitations

The study had limitations. It did not include some variables potentially associated with fatigue risk, and about a quarter of participants left after the 2-year follow-up.

What Are the Practical Implications?

The identified risk factors for fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy may help clinicians recognise high-risk patients and provide appropriate treatment.

Patients experiencing fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy may try:

• Regular exercise
• Getting enough sleep
• Stress management techniques
• A healthy diet
• Joining support groups

Although fatigue is an adverse effect of breast cancer radiotherapy, it is treatable. If you experience it, discuss it with your doctor.

Overview

• This study identified long-term risk factors for fatigue after breast cancer radiotherapy.
• Factors associated with lasting fatigue included pain, insomnia, depression, low weight, younger age and endocrine therapy.
• The findings may help identify high-risk patients and provide appropriate treatment.
• Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating effects of breast cancer radiotherapy. It can interfere with daily life and make adherence to treatment more difficult.
• There is no cure for fatigue, but measures to manage it include:
  • Regular exercise
  • Getting enough sleep
  • A healthy diet
  • Stress management techniques
  • Joining support groups