Fatigue in breast cancer patients during the therapy: Examining the role of demographic and clinical determinants, psychological factors and social support

Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most prominent problems in cancer patients, which often remains inadequately treated, because the etiology of this syndrome is still relatively unknown. This study aimed to examine demographic, clinical, and psycho-social determinants of physical and mental aspects of cancer-related fatigue. The study was conducted on 64 women with a breast cancer diagnosis, aged between 33 and 79 years (M=58.36, SD=11.30) while undergoing radiation therapy. For the assessment of physical and mental fatigue, the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS Serbian) was used. Demographic and clinical data, symptoms of anxiety and depression (DASS-21), neuroticism (BFI), and functional and structural social support (Serbian translation MOS-SSS) were examined as well. The results showed that depression, anxiety, and neuroticism correlated positively with both physical and mental fatigue, while structural and functional social support correlated negatively only with the physical dimension. Participants who have a partner reported significantly lower levels of physical fatigue compared to those who are not in a relationship, while such a difference was not detected in the case of mental fatigue. Neuroticism and relationship status were the most important predictors of physical fatigue, while neuroticism alone was the most significant predictor of mental fatigue. The results showed that physical and mental fatigue have different correlates, and that personality traits and social support might be of greater relevance for understanding fatigue, than clinical and demographic factors. These findings may be of importance when assessing the risk factors for fatigue and planning psycho-social interventions to empower breast cancer patients.