Fatigue and Related Factors in Patients with Stomach Cancer during Chemotherapy

Kim, Sun Hee

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was intended to identify the patterns of fatigue and its related factors in patients with stomach cancer during chemotherapy.
METHODS
Thirty participants (24 males and 6 females) were recruited for this study which utilized a longitudinal and descriptive approach. The research instruments included the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale, Symptom Distress Scale, and Linear Analogue Self Assessment Scale. The participants received 5-FU and Adriamycin at the first week and 5-FU only at the second and third week. The instruments were measured six times in total. The data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0.
RESULTS
It was found that fatigue scores in patients with stomach cancer, receiving 5-FU and Adriamycin (FA) regimen, reached the highest level on the third day (F=9.37, p=.024) after the initial infusion, and decreased gradually afterward. The symptom and psychological distress scores illustrated very similar pattern. The concept of multidimensionality of fatigue in patients with stomach cancer was supported in this study, showing that all four dimensions of the scale were positively correlated.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study provided useful information of patients with stomach cancer on fatigue and other related symptoms which they experienced during weekly scheduled chemotherapy with FA regimen.