Facts You Should Know About Fatigue
- More than 50 percent of all people who have experienced cancer are estimated to have had cancer-related fatigue (CRF).
- CRF interferes with a person's ability to fulfill daily responsibilities and to enjoy life. It's a health problem that requires medical management.
- When compared with fatigue that healthy people experience, CRF is more severe, depending on a person's activity level. CRF is also less likely to be relieved by sleep or rest.
- CRF is generally a result of cancer's effects or the cancer treatment, although the specific cause of CRF can't always be identified.
- Signs of CRF may include physical weakness, changes in mood or motivation, withdrawal from social activities, irritability and impaired ability to perform daily activities, concentrate or make decisions.
- It's important for patients to talk with their doctors if they experience signs of fatigue before, during or after treatment. Assessing fatigue can be a challenge, and good patient-doctor communication is key to successful evaluation.
