Research Assistant, School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, Ulster University, Magee Campus, Derry-Londonderry.
Br J Nurs. 2021 Feb 25;30(4):S36-S43. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2021.30.4.S36.
A diagnosis of cancer is a major life stressor that can affect the physiological, psychological and physical state of the person concerned. Fatigue is a particularly common and troubling symptom that has a negative impact on quality of life throughout all phases of treatment and stages of the illness. The aim of this review is to provide background information on cancer-related fatigue. This review discusses cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in terms of the definition, prevalence, risk factors, aetiology, and the measurement scales used. The differences between definitions of symptoms and relevant theories will be explored and discussed to help explain the variety of instruments used in its measurement. The prevalence of fatigue will be assessed by looking critically at the evidence of fatigue and the factors that affect it. Potential treatment and management strategies for CRF will also be discussed. Finally, there will be an overview of the instruments used to measure fatigue. This review also provides important evidence for measuring and managing CRF that can help nurses to understand fatigue among patients with cancer. Assessing CRF should be routinely undertaken in clinical settings to help identify the proper interventions, treatments and management to reduce fatigue among cancer patients.
癌症的诊断是一个重大的生活应激源，会影响到相关人员的生理、心理和身体状态。疲劳是一种特别常见和令人困扰的症状，它会对治疗的所有阶段和疾病的各个阶段的生活质量产生负面影响。本综述的目的是提供与癌症相关的疲劳的背景信息。本文从定义、患病率、风险因素、病因和使用的测量量表等方面讨论了癌症相关的疲劳（CRF）。将探讨和讨论症状定义和相关理论之间的差异，以帮助解释其测量中使用的各种工具。通过批判性地评估疲劳的证据和影响疲劳的因素来评估疲劳的患病率。还将讨论 CRF 的潜在治疗和管理策略。最后，将概述用于测量疲劳的工具。本综述还为测量和管理 CRF 提供了重要证据，有助于护士了解癌症患者的疲劳情况。在临床环境中应常规进行 CRF 评估，以帮助确定适当的干预、治疗和管理措施，以减轻癌症患者的疲劳。
