Correlation of cancer treatment related fatigue with biochemical & hormonal profile a prospective study
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Date
2005
Authors
Biswal, Biswa Mohan
Kumaraswamy, N.
Mumtaz, Mallik
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Background: Cancer treatment using chemotherapy or radiotherapy results in
considerable cancer treatment related fatigue. Fatigue can induce significant stress
causing hormonal alteration through hypothalamic pituitary axis leading to change in the
internal milieu. We evaluated hormonal and biochemical profile to find out a putative
corr~lation. Materials & Method: Fifty two histopathology documented cases of cancer
patients were subjected to Pipers Fatigue Score (PFS) and blood test for hormone and
other biochemical parameters before and after radiotherapy and chemotherapy
treatment. Human growth hormone, adenocorticotrophic hormone, thyroid stimulating
hormone and serum free cortisol level were evaluated along with routine biochemical
analysis before and after anticancer treatment. The individual fatigue score were
compared with individual hormone levels and other biochemical parameters. Results:
Fifty two cancer patients planned for anticancer therapy completed initial pretreatment
evaluation however post treatment assessment was not possible in 8 cases as they died
during therapy. There were 20 males and 32 females in the study with a median age of
50 years (range15-78 years). The stage distribution was as stage-1 (12°k), stage-11
(17°.4>), stage-Ill (44%) and stage-IV (26°/o).The primary cancer were in breast (19°/o),
sarcomas (9°/o), head and neck (19°k), gynecological (19°/o) and miscellaneous sites
(14o/o). The individual fatigue score were behavioral severity (26.6°.4>), affective meaning
(28°/o), sensory (22.2%), cognitive mood (8.8%) and total score (22.2°.4>) respectively.
There were significant rise in the fatigue score followi~g chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The serum human growth hormone and cortisol were positively correlated whereas
serum TSH level was negatively correlated with fatigue. Conclusions: Cancer treatment
related fatigue is a multidimensional event that affect stress hormonal ·milieu. The
human growth hormone and corticotrophins were affected among cancer patients
suffering from cancer treatment related fatigue. Probably this finding may help to
improve therapeutic intervention in the management fatigue in cancer
Description
Keywords
Cancer