Chronic Fatigue Not Uncommon Among Childhood Blood Cancer Survivors

Adult survivors of some childhood blood cancers face an increased risk of suffering from chronic fatigue, according to a new study.

A constant lack of energy that doesn't get better over time and doesn't improve with additional rest are hallmarks of chronic fatigue syndrome. It can be a very disruptive problem, leading to a diminished quality-of-life, an inability to maintain employment in some and even an inability to do simple daily activities.

The study pinpointed both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as well as lymphoma experienced by adults during childhood and determined that when compared to the general population, chronic fatigue was three times more likely in these cancer survivors. They found that the prevalence of the problem was 27 percent among the cancer survivors compared to 8 percent among controls.

The findings, by Hanne Hamre, MD and colleagues Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo Norway, were published in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology.

According journal Editor-in-Chief Leonard S. Sender, MD, of the University of California, Irvine and CHOC Children's Hospital:

Chronic fatigue in cancer survivors is often an under-appreciated complication of treatment. There is a general belief that after successful treatment a survivor should be able to bounce back without lasting effects. Hamre and colleagues demonstrate that fatigue is a larger problem than generally appreciated. Their findings put a spotlight on this key aspect of cancer survivorship and serve to encourage the medical community to communicate with cancer survivor patients about possible chronic fatigue.

Source: MNT