Factors influencing cancer-related fatigue in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing radiotherapy:pathway analysis

Abstract

Background Cancer-related fatigue in patients with esophageal cancer significantly impacts their five-year survival rate and causes serious distress to their physical and mental condition.Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to the current status of fatigue in esophageal cancer patients in order to reduce their physiological and psychological distress.As a positive psychological trait, self-efficacy can influence the level of fatigue in patients undergoing radiotherapy for esophageal cancer. However, the pathways by which self-efficacy affects cancer-related fatigue remain unclear. Objective To investigate the factors influencing cancer-related fatigue in patients undergoing radiation therapy for esophageal cancer, and to investigate the role of social support as a mediator between self-efficacy and cancer-related fatigue using the theory of unpleasant symptoms. Methods The study used a descriptive survey approach, and data were collected at a tertiary hospital in Nanjing between October 2022 and May 2023. 225 patients with esophageal cancer undergoing radiotherapy completed the Cancer-Related Fatigue Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, and Social Support Rating Scale.Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data;the pathways through which self-efficacy influences cancer-induced fatigue were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS program. Results There was a strong negative correlation between cancer-related fatigue and self-efficacy (r = -0.948; P < 0.05). The results of the mediation effect test indicated that social support partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and cancer-related fatigue (β = -0.342, P < 0.01). Furthermore, the mediating effect (− 0.342) accounted for 36.08% of the total effect (− 0.948). Conclusion Our findings confirm a negative correlation between cancer-related fatigue and self-efficacy in patients undergoing radiation therapy for esophageal cancer. Social support serves as a mediating factor in reducing fatigue by enhancing patients' self-efficacy.