Quality of life and fatigue before and after radiotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Abstract

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is acommon side effect of cancer treatment, particularly in breast cancer patients. Over the past decade, the multimodal management of breast cancer has undergone several changes, such as the establishment of postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) as anew standard protocol and the reduced use of chemotherapy. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of these changes on quality of life (QoL) and CRF. A total of 66patients was assessed for QoL and CRF using the FACIT‑F questionnaire. Patients were asked to complete the paper-based questionnaire before (TP1) and at the end of radiotherapy (TP2) as well as at follow-up (TP3). Subgroups were compared based on fractionation and previous application of chemotherapy. For the entire cohort, no significant changes in the severity of fatigue were seen. Amild decrease of physical wellbeing (PWB) from TP1 to TP2 was observed (22.2 vs. 20.7, p = 0.007). Fatigue at TP1 was more severe in patients receiving chemotherapy before RT (37.9 vs. 30.5, p = 0.041). Only patients without preceding chemotherapy showed asignificant worsening of fatigue from TP1 to TP2 (37.9 vs 34.8, p = 0.005). The same is true for physical wellbeing (PWB), with adecrease from TP1 to TP2 in chemotherapy-naïve patients only (23.5 vs. 21.4, p = 0.002). Fractionation did not impact any of the investigated endpoints. Patients undergoing postoperative RT for breast cancer constitute aheterogeneous patient population with varying risks of developing CRF influenced by previous treatments. Therefore, patient selection seems to be critical when interventional studies addressing CRF during radiotherapy are designed.