Assessing fatigue levels in neurological cancer patients of different ages under various anticancer therapies

Abstract

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is now the most specific, recurrent, and challenging phenomenon in people with cancer and a common concern of mental illness that affects patients physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially, and also economically, especially in poor and low-income communities. Therefore, a concise evaluation is crucial for the effective management of this demanding manifestation. The brief fatigue inventory (BFI) was used to assess fatigue in patients with cancer. However, the data on systematic appraisal and gradation of the fatigue level in neurological cancer patients are sparse. Objective: The present study aimed to estimate the incidence of CRF in neurological cancer patients and also to find the correlation between the degree of CRF and their quality of life. Methods: This study was conducted among 40 neurological cancer patients of both sexes within the 20 to 80 years age group, and the level of fatigue was determined using the BFI. Results: It was found that the CRF after the last 24 hours of different modalities of treatment was significantly correlated with general activity, mood, walking ability, normal work, relation with other people, and enjoyment of life. Conclusion: The present study indicates that the BFI scale is significantly correlated with neurological CRF. However, the fatigue level is significant in relation to general activity and normal work in daily chores, but not significantly related to mood, walking ability, social interactions, or enjoyment of life.