Correlations of Cancer-Related Fatigue with Clinicopathological Features and Quality of Life in Gastric Cancer

Objective: To explore the correlations of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) with clinicopathological features and quality of life in gastric cancer.

Methods: Using a convenient sampling method, 230 patients with gastric cancer admitted to our hospital from March 2020 to July 2022 were collected. They were divided into the fatigue group (n = 152) and the nonfatigue group (n = 78) according to the presence/absence of CRF. Relevant data were collected and compared.

Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in age ratio (χ ² = 41.671, P < 0.001), T stage ratio (χ ² = 9.973, P = 0.019), N stage ratio (P < 0.001), PS score (P < 0.001), and the degree of gastric cancer thickening (14.21 ± 3.32 vs. 12.12 ± 3.81 mm, t = 4.572, P < 0.001). Patients with gastric cancer had the lowest CRF Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score for general activities (2.26 ± 0.37) and high scores for work activities (6.23 ± 0.24) and enjoyment of life (7.11 ± 1.34). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between patient emotions and the CRF BFI score (r = 0.443, P = 0.001). Patients with mild, moderate, and severe CRF showed statistically significant differences in physical functioning (83.34 ± 21.12 vs. 65.23 ± 21.14 vs. 32.25 ± 17.29, F = 15.382, P < 0.001), role emotional (72.53 ± 21.21 vs. 67.33 ± 27.56 vs. 54.37 ± 26.45, F = 14.483, P < 0.001), fatigue (49.12 ± 18.44 vs. 54.61 ± 26.64 vs. 67.51 ± 14.27, F = 13.581, P < 0.001), bodily pain (56.56 ± 25.12 vs. 76.43 ± 21.71 vs. 80.32 ± 12.39, F = 14.582, P < 0.001), appetite reduction (57.45 ± 25.47 vs. 69.51 ± 16.21 vs. 76.23 ± 27.58, F = 14.592, P < 0.001), and overall health status and quality of life (67.21 ± 19.45 vs. 53.43 ± 22.32 vs. 43.43 ± 12.52, F = 16.494, P < 0.001). After chemotherapy, the average CRF BFI scores of the partial remission (PR), disease stability (SD), and disease progression (PD) groups all reduced than those before chemotherapy (all P < 0.05). At 3 months of follow-up, a comparison of the average CRF BFI scores with those before chemotherapy revealed a decrease in the SD and PR groups and an increase in the PD group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, CRF is correlated with age, T stage, and N stage in gastric cancer. The later the T and N stages, the more significant the effect on fatigue. Moreover, CRF can also affect the quality of life in gastric cancer, and the severer the CRF, the poorer the quality of life.