The holistic management of fatigue within palliative care

Abstract

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by people with cancer and other long-term, non-malignant conditions. It can be disease-related or caused by treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients frequently report this as a distressing symptom and, while some international guidelines for its management exist, evidence suggests that these are not always implemented. Method: This article reviews the evidence basis for fatigue management, looking at exercise, education, psychological interventions, complementary therapies and pharmacological therapy, and finds that a one-size fits all approach to fatigue management is unrealistic. Findings: Research appears to support different interventions at various points in the disease trajectory and this is of importance for service design as palliative care is increasingly introduced earlier in the patient's pathway. Conclusion: Although the body of research is growing, management of fatigue caused by non-malignant conditions remains poorly evidenced, making comprehensive recommendations for these patient groups even more challenging.