Fatigue and CAM
Cancer-related fatigue is the most common side effect for cancer patients undergoing treatment of any kind, and can linger well past treatment’s end. It has been reported by 14-96% of cancer patients. Cancer-related fatigue differs from other types of fatigue because it is not completely relieved by rest or sleep and can interfere with daily functioning and quality of life. While some pharmacologic treatments have been used for treatment, such as psychostimulants, other nonpharmacologic interventions such as physical activity, psychosocial interventions, and others are also suggested to help alleviate fatigue. The reasons fatigue persists in cancer patients is not well understood, especially in the absence of contributing factors such as anemia, nutritional deficiencies, and mood disorders, along with the cancer treatment itself. Below is an collection of some sources pertaining to cancer-related fatigue and complementary and alternative medicine.
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Research Highlights on Fatigue and CAM
- Fatigue PDQ®
- Research Suggests Yoga May Help with Fatigue-Related Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors
- Self-administered Acupressure Shows Benefit by Reducing Persistant Cancer-related Fatigue
- Review of Integrative Nonpharmacologic Interventions for Cancer Fatigue
- Self Efficacy, Physical Activity, and its Relation to Depression and Fatigue
- Alleviating Lingering Side Effects for Cancer Survivors
- OCCAM Monthly lecture series: A pilot trial of Acupuncture for Cancer Related Fatigue:Lessons Learned (video)
Clinical Trials
- Fatigue and CAM related Clinical trials (NCI)
- Fatigue clinical trials (Clinicaltrials.gov)
Resources from around NIH and NCI
- Life after Cancer: Fatigue (National Institute on Aging)
Selection NIH-supported scientific literature (PubMed®):
- Cancer, cognitive impairment, and meditation
- Dimensions of physical activity and their relationship to physical and emotional symptoms in breast cancer survivors
- Fatigue, inflammation, and ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid intake among breast cancer survivors
- Cancer-related stress and complementary and alternative medicine: a review.
- Acupuncture for non-palliative radiation therapy related fatigue: a feasibility study