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Occurrence of fatigue and associated factors in disease-free breast cancer patients without depression

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Abstract

Goals of work

Studies on fatigue in disease-free breast cancer patients have consistently found a significant association between fatigue and depression; and some characteristics of this fatigue may be confused with and/or concealed by those of depression. To clarify the characteristics of fatigue in disease-free breast cancer patients, we examined the frequency of fatigue and associated factors in disease-free breast cancer patients without major depression.

Patients and methods

Seventy-nine ambulatory breast cancer patients without major depression who had been disease-free for more than 3 years since their surgery completed the Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS), a multidimensional scale assessing cancer-related fatigue. Participants also completed the Short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised (EPQR) for assessing their personalities. Sociodemographic, physical, and treatment-related factors were also obtained by interview.

Main results

We found that 36.7% of the patients exhibited fatigue and that fatigue was significantly associated with neuroticism.

Conclusions

These results suggest that a considerable number of disease-free breast cancer patients without major depression experience fatigue and that careful attention to those exhibiting high neuroticism may be of benefit in ameliorating their fatigue.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all patients who gave their time so willingly. The authors would also like to acknowledge the collaborative support of the staff of the National Cancer Hospital East, Japan. The authors thank Ms. Yuko Kojima of the Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute East, Japan, for her research assistance. Yuriko Sugawara, Toru Okuyama, Tomohito Nakano, Masatoshi Inagaki, and Yutaka Matsuoka were awarded a Research Resident Fellowship from the Foundation for the Promotion of Cancer Research, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute East, 6–5-1 Kashiwanoha, 277–8577, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Yuriko Sugawara, Tatsuo Akechi, Yutaka Matsuoka, Masatoshi Inagaki, Maiko Fujimori & Yosuke Uchitomi

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, 259–1193, Boseidai Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

    Yuriko Sugawara, Toru Okuyama & Takashi Hosaka

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya City University Medical School, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, 467–8601 , Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

    Tatsuo Akechi

  4. Adult Mental Health Division, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1–7-3 Kohnodai, 272–0827, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan

    Yutaka Matsuoka

  5. Psychiatry Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5–1-1 Tsukiji, 104–0015, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Tomohito Nakano

  6. Mood and Anxiety Disorder Program, National Institute of Mental Health, 1 Center Drive, MSC-0135, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Masatoshi Inagaki

  7. Division of Breast Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6–5-1 Kashiwanoha, 277–8577, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Shigeru Imoto

Authors
  1. Yuriko Sugawara
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  2. Tatsuo Akechi
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  3. Toru Okuyama
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  4. Yutaka Matsuoka
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  5. Tomohito Nakano
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  6. Masatoshi Inagaki
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  7. Shigeru Imoto
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  8. Maiko Fujimori
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  9. Takashi Hosaka
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  10. Yosuke Uchitomi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yosuke Uchitomi.

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Sugawara, Y., Akechi, T., Okuyama, T. et al. Occurrence of fatigue and associated factors in disease-free breast cancer patients without depression. Support Care Cancer 13, 628–636 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-004-0763-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-004-0763-6

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