Evidence map›Paper›PMID 20694822›Full record

Trial reportSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2011

Is education an effective management strategy for reducing cancer-related fatigue?

Amanda Purcell, Jennifer Fleming, Bryan Burmeister, Sally Bennett, Terry Haines

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Non-medical interventions to enhance return to work for people with cancer.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024
    Pooled it
  2. Self-management interventions for cancer survivors: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2018
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Interventions to enhance return-to-work for cancer patients.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015
    Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Education for cancer-related fatigue: could talking about it make people more likely to report it?Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2014
    Trial
  9. Article
  10. [Sport and exercise therapy for burnout and fatigue-a narrative review].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2024
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Cancer-Related Fatigue: Causes and Current Treatment Options.Current treatment options in oncology · 2020
    Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Financial toxicity and symptom burden: what is the big deal?Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2018
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Amanda PurcellOccupational Therapy Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Rd, Woolloongabba 4102, Brisbane, Australia. amanda.purcell@uqconnect.edu.au
Jennifer Fleming
Bryan Burmeister
Sally Bennett
Terry Haines

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe use of education is recommended to teach patients self-care behaviours to reduce cancer-related fatigue, however, there is little evidence of its effectiveness or optimal timing. This educationally based cancer-related fatigue intervention trial, CAN-FIT, aimed to reduced severity of fatigue in radiotherapy patients.

methodsOne hundred and ten participants aged≥18 years undergoing curative radiotherapy were randomly assigned to receive (1) pre- and post-radiotherapy fatigue education and support (RFES); (2) pre-RFES only; (3) post-RFES only; or (4) no RFES (standard care). Data collection occurred at pre- and post- radiotherapy and at 6-weeks follow-up.

resultsThe intervention was not associated with reduction in fatigue levels at any assessment point. Significant changes were seen with secondary activity-based outcomes: Physical activity participation: Pre-RFES was associated with significantly greater increase in vigorous [Assessment (Ax)1-Ax2: 1.05 (0.24, 1.86) p<0.01: Ax2-Ax3: 1.24, (0.44, 2.03) p<0.01] and moderate physical activity participation [Ax1-Ax2: 1.4 (0.53, 2.26) p<0.01]. Post-RFES was associated with significant improvements in walking levels [Ax1-Ax3: 5.82 (0.07, 11.56) p<0.05] compared with no pre-RFES. Paid and unpaid employment: Pre-RFES was associated with slower return to pre-treatment levels of paid work [Ax2-Ax3: -0.72 (-1.41, -0.04) p<0.05] than no pre-RFES. Post-RFES was associated with decreased levels of unpaid work [Ax1-Ax3: 561.79 (51.21, 1,072.37) p<0.05] compared with no post-RFES.

conclusionThe CAN-FIT programme did not significantly improve the primary outcome, level of fatigue, regardless of when it was delivered, however, significant changes were observed in activity-based outcomes. Further investigations into educationally based programmes should target activity participation rather than changes in underlying fatigue to improve overall patient health.

Indexed as

AdultAgedData CollectionFatigueFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasmsPatient Education as TopicSelf CareSeverity of Illness Index

Identifiers

PMID20694822

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.