Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33803966›Full record

ArticleCancers2021

Fatigue among Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study.

Saskia W M C Maass, Daan Brandenbarg, Liselotte M Boerman, Peter F M Verhaak, Geertruida H de Bock, Annette J Berendsen

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
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

41 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. Effect of acupuncture on fatigue in cancer survivors with chronic pain: a secondary analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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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

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Saskia W M C MaassDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8715-734X
Daan BrandenbargDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8054-7337
Liselotte M BoermanDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands.
Peter F M VerhaakNIVEL, Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research, 3513 CR Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Geertruida H de BockDepartment of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-3104-4471
Annette J BerendsenDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands.
University Medical Center Groningen · NLNetherlands Institute for Health Services Research · NL

Funding

Pink Ribbon Foundation 2011.WO18.C118Stichting de Friesland DS20
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFatigue is the most common and persistent symptom among women in the first five years after a breast cancer diagnosis. However, long-term prevalence of fatigue, among breast cancer survivors, needs further investigation.

aimTo compare fatigue experienced by long-term breast cancer survivors with that in a reference population and to evaluate the determinants of that fatigue. DESIGN AND

settingA cross-sectional cohort study of 350 breast cancer survivors ≥5 years after diagnosis and a reference population of 350 women matched by age and general practitioner.

methodFatigue was measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), and a sum score of >60 (multidimensional fatigue) was the primary outcome. Logistic regression was applied to compare the prevalence of multidimensional fatigue between the survivor and reference populations, adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and for cardiovascular and psychological variables. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were estimated. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the determinants of multidimensional fatigue among the survivors.

resultsBreast cancer survivors (median 10 years after diagnosis), more often experienced multidimensional fatigue than the reference population (26.6% versus 15.4%; OR, 2.0 [95%CI, 1.4-2.9]), even after adjusting for confounders. The odds of multidimensional fatigue were also higher among survivors with symptoms of depression (32.2% versus 2.7%; OR, 17.0 [95%CI, 7.1-40.5]) or anxiety (41.9% versus 10.1%; OR, 6.4 [95%CI, 3.6-11.4]).

conclusionOne in four breast cancer survivors experience multidimensional fatigue and fatigue occurs more frequently than in women of the same age and general practitioner. This fatigue appears to be associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Indexed as

anxiety disorderbreast neoplasmscancer survivorsdepressive disorderfatiguelong-term adverse effects

Identifiers

PMID33803966
PMCPMC8001130
OpenAlexW3139363161

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.