Perceived needs for different components in a rehabilitation program among cancer survivors with chronic fatigue compared to survivors without chronic fatigue

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow chart of the study.

Figure 5. Proportions of CF and NCF participants perceived need for number of components in a rehabilitation program (n = 552)

Figure 6. (a) Physical component score (PCS) among CF and NCF participants within different need for number of components in a rehabilitation program. (b) Mental component score (MCS) among CF and NCF participants within different need for number of components in a rehabilitation program (n = 525).

Table 1. Characteristics of the participants (n = 564).

Variable	Total n (%)
No. of participants	564
Demographical characteristics
Gender
Female	355 (63)
Male	209 (37)
Age (years)
Median (range)	59.5 (28–83)
Civil status (n = 561)
Living alone	138 (25)
Living together	423 (75)
Education (n = 559)
<12 years	270 (48)
≥12 years	289 (52)
Work (n = 554)
Full-time	81 (15)
Part-time	60 (11)
Retired	145 (26)
Disability benefit/social support	268 (48)
Medical characteristics
Cancer diagnosis
Breast cancer	200 (35)
Prostate cancer^a	117 (21)
Gastrointestinal cancer	62 (11)
Mixed group^b	185 (33)
Months since diagnosis
Median (range)	12.1 (2–119)^c
Treatment (n = 556)^d
Non-systemic	129 (23)
Systemic	427 (77)
Relapse of cancer (n = 550)
No	428 (78)
Yes	122 (22)
Comorbidity (n = 552)
No	364 (66)
Yes	188 (34)
Fatigue (n = 564)^e
Chronic fatigue	253 (45)
Total fatigue, mean (SD)	18.8 (5.3)
Physical fatigue, mean (SD)	12.8 (2.7)
Mental fatigue, mean (SD)	6.1 (2.1)

Numbers may not add up to 564 because of missing data (due to incomplete questionnaires).

^a 49% of all prostate cancer patients had received hormone therapy and 84% of these were still ongoing; ^bMixed group including gynecological cancer (n = 44), lung cancer (n = 26), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 24), head and neck cancer (n = 18), lymphoma (n = 16), brain cancer (n = 15), myeloma (n = 13), sarcoma (n = 6), leukemia (n = 7), cancer of the urinary tract (n = 5), testicular cancer (n = 1) and others (n = 10); ^c28 participants (5%) reported ≥60 months (5 years) since diagnosis; ^dNon-systemic treatment including surgery and/or radiotherapy. Systemic treatment including chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy ± surgery and/or radiotherapy; ^eFatigue was assessed by Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ). The sum scores of physical (range 0–21) and mental fatigue (0–12) constitute the total fatigue score (0–33). Increasing scores imply more fatigue.

Figure 2. (a) Prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF) and demographical and medical variables associated with CF (vs. not CF) (n = 564). Numbers may not add up to 564 because of missing data. cOR crude odds ratio. *Mixed group including gynecological cancer (n = 44), lung cancer (n = 26), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 24), head and neck cancer (n = 18), lymphoma (n = 16), brain cancer (n = 15), myeloma (n = 13), sarcoma (n = 6), leukemia (n = 7), cancer of the urinary tract (n = 5), testicular cancer (n = 1) and others (n = 10). **Systemic treatment including chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy ± surgery and/or radiotherapy. Non-systemic treatment including surgery and/or radiotherapy. (b) Prevalence of chronic fatigue (CF) and comorbidity and lifestyle variables associated with CF (vs. not CF) (n = 564). Numbers may not add up to 564 because of missing data. cOR crude odds ratio. BMI: body mass index; PA: physical activity. *PA guidelines include at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity PA or 75 minutes of high intensity PA per week.

Figure 3. Multivariate regression analyses (n = 544). aOR adjusted odds ratio. *Mixed group including gynecological cancer (n = 44), lung cancer (n = 26), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 24), head and neck cancer (n = 18), lymphoma (n = 16), brain cancer (n = 15), myeloma (n = 13), sarcoma (n = 6), leukemia (n = 7), cancer of the urinary tract (n = 5), testicular cancer (n = 1) and others (n = 10). **Systemic treatment including chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy ± surgery and/or radiotherapy. Non-systemic treatment including surgery and/or radiotherapy.

Figure 4. Proportions of CF and NCF participants perceived need for different components in a rehabilitation program.