OFF-TREATMENT FATIGUE IN BREAST-CANCER SURVIVORS - A CONTROLLED COMPARISON

Fatigue is a common and distressing symptom following cancer treatment . Research examining ''off-treatment'' fatigue has been weakened by li mited assessments of fatigue and lack of suitable comparison groups. T he extent of off-treatment fatigue following treatment for breast canc er (BC) was examined. Women with BC (n=88; mean, 28 months posttreatme nt) and age-matched women (n=88) with benign breast problems (BBP), co mpleted a set of fatigue questionnaires at an Initial assessment and a I-month Follow-up assessment. The BC group reported more fatigue, mor e weakness, and less vitality relative to the BBP group at both assess ments. No relationship was found in the BC group between fatigue and e xtent of treatment or time since treatment completion. While the resul ts document the existence of off-treatment fatigue following BC, eluci dation of the psychobiological processes underlying this symptom and d evelopment of clinical management strategies remain as challenges for future research.