Symptoms and treatment burden associated with cancer treatment: results from a cross-sectional national survey in the U.S.

Abstract

In addition to the symptomatic experience of side effects, patients reported a considerable time burden for treatment. It is important to consider supportive care strategies that may effectively reduce side effects and their associated treatment burden.

The next of kin experiences of symptoms and distress among patients with colorectal cancer: Diagnosis and treatment affecting the life situation

“…We found fatigue, nausea, intestinal disorders and hand-foot syndrome to be the most common symptoms reported by next of kin. This is confirmed by other studies investigating patients (Aprile et al, 2008;Berger et al, 2010;Goldberg et al, 2007;Griffin-Sobel, 2006;Hallquist Viale and Sommers, 2007;Henry et al, 2008;Kearney et al, 2008). However, the next of kin reported that nausea worsened with every treatment, whereas other studies on patients, in contradiction, have found that nausea decreases after every treatment (Henry et al, 2008;Kearney et al, 2008).…”

“…The side effects of chemotherapy vary depending on the agents used: myelosuppression, nausea, diarrhoea, neurotoxicity and hand-foot syndrome have been reported (Berger et al, 2010;Hallquist Viale and Sommers, 2007). The worst and most distressing side effect reported of chemotherapy for patients with CRC is fatigue (Berger et al, 2010;Henry et al, 2008;Kearney et al, 2008, Stone et al, 2000.…”

Understanding Patients' Experiences of Treatment Burden in Chronic Heart Failure Using Normalization Process Theory

“…Previous studies in this sphere have described the components of treatment burden in a limited way, for example, in relation to individual treatment adverse effects, 20,21 or have included very small numbers of participants. 2 The research has therefore not provided a picture of the entire treatment burden experienced by patients, often excluding those with comorbidities, 22 who represent almost one-half of all patients with chronic disease.…”

Pharmacologic Interventions for Fatigue in Cancer and Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis

“…It has been described as an unexpected tiredness that is more intense and severe than the fatigue experienced in healthy people 3 . Cancer-related fatigue can affect up to 80%-90% of cancer patients, and it can occur before diagnosis, during cancer treatment, and after completion of cancer therapies 1,[4][5][6][7][8][9] . The origin of cancer-related fatigue is multifactorial: it can be a result of the cancer itself, of cancer treatments, and of comorbid medical and psychological conditions 10,11 .…”