Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on February 28, 2006
Annals of Oncology 2006 17(5):801-806; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdl030
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© 2006 European Society for Medical Oncology
Fatigue and menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer undergoing hormonal cancer treatment
1 Tumorzentrum ZeTuP, Diagnostik, Behandlung und Prävention, St. Gallen; 2 Fachbereich, Onkologie, Department Innere Medizin, Kantonsspital St. Gallen; 3 Senologie Zentrum Ostschweiz, Kantonsspital St. Gallen; 4 Fachbereich Onkologie, Innere Medizin, Kantonsspital Münsterlingen; 5 Statistics Unit, Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Bern, Switzerland
* Correspondence to: Dr A. Glaus (PhD, MSc, RN), Tumorzentrum ZeTuP, Diagnostik, Behandlung und Prävention, Rorschacherstrasse 150, CH-9006 St. Gallen, Switzerland. Tel: 0041 71 243 00 43; Fax: 0041 71 243 0044; E-mail: aglaus{at}sg.zetup.ch
Background: Hormonal treatment for women with breast cancer is frequently proposed in the adjuvant as well as in the palliative setting. Therefore, many women are confronted with early menopause and prolonged oestrogen deprivation and consequently with a variety of quality of life issues, such as menopausal symptoms and fatigue.
Patients and methods: It was the aim of this study to explore the occurrence and frequency of menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer, undergoing hormonal cancer treatment and to investigate their relationship with fatigue. A cross-sectional, quantitative approach was used in this multi-centre study. The Checklist for Patients with Endocrine Therapy (C-PET) and the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) Linear Analogue Scales for patients with endocrine treatment were used. Descriptive statistics, as well as cluster analyses were performed.
Results: Most frequent menopausal symptoms involved hot flashes/sweats, tiredness, weight gain, vaginal dryness and decreased sexual interest. There were significant differences between the fatigued and the non-fatigued population regarding the intensity of menopausal symptoms, emotional irritability and general coping. Cluster analyses supported a menopausal symptom cluster.
Conclusions: Fatigue accompanies menopausal symptoms and an association can be expected. Methods for routine screening for menopausal symptoms, including fatigue, are suggested as a relevant research issue in women with breast cancer undergoing hormonal treatment.
Key words: breast cancer, fatigue, hormones, menopausal symptoms