A fatigue clinic in a comprehensive cancer center - Design and experiences

Cancer-related fatigue is now the most prevalent symptom of cancer, occurri ng in 60-90% of patients. Fatigue has been identified by cancer patients as a factor influencing functionality and quality of life. Our objectives in developing a fatigue specialty clinic at The University of Texas M. D. Ande rson Cancer Center were to improve our patients' quality of life by decreas ing fatigue; educate health care providers, patients, and patients' familie s about cancer-related fatigue; develop an appropriate clinical and diagnos tic evaluation for this symptom; correlate objective measures of fatigue wi th its clinical evaluation; and develop innovative treatment plans for canc er-related fatigue. This article describes the general clinic design and op erations and the preliminary analysis of the first 40 patients evaluated in the fatigue clinic. (C) 2001 American Cancer Society.