Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39825989›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2026

Multidimensional fatigue and its impact on work productivity, mood and quality of life in long-term survivors following definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer: A cross-sectional study.

Zsuzsanna Iyizoba-Ebozue, Emma Nicklin, Stuart Currie, James Price, J P C Baldwin, Robin Prestwich, Sarah Brown, Emma Hall, John Lilley, Matthew Lowe and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
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

15 authors.

Zsuzsanna Iyizoba-EbozueDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Cancer Centre, St. James's University Hospital, Level 4, Bexley WingBeckett St., Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK. Zsuzsanna.iyizoba@nhs.net.ORCID 0000-0002-9839-4532
Emma NicklinLeeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Stuart CurrieDepartment of Neuroradiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.
James PriceDepartment of Clinical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
J P C BaldwinDepartment of Medical Physics and Engineering, Leeds Teaching Hospital, Leeds, UK.
Robin PrestwichDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Cancer Centre, St. James's University Hospital, Level 4, Bexley WingBeckett St., Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Sarah BrownLeeds Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, Leeds, UK.
Emma HallThe Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
John LilleyDepartment of Radiotherapy Physics, Leeds Cancer Centre, Leeds, UK.
Matthew LoweChristie Medical Physics and Engineering, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
David J ThomsonDepartment of Neuroradiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.
Finbar SlevinDepartment of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Cancer Centre, St. James's University Hospital, Level 4, Bexley WingBeckett St., Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Marcus TyygerDepartment of Radiotherapy Physics, Leeds Cancer Centre, Leeds, UK.
Louise Murray *Department of Clinical Oncology, Leeds Cancer Centre, St. James's University Hospital, Level 4, Bexley WingBeckett St., Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK.
Florien Boele *Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.

Funding

Cancer Research UK 95653122/95653121Yorkshire Cancer Research L389FBYorkshire Cancer Research L389LM
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeRadiotherapy (RT) for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) can lead to late toxicity. Fatigue is a known debilitating issue for many cancer survivors, yet prevalence and severity of long-term fatigue in patients treated for OPC is unknown.

methodAs part of a mixed-methods study, fatigue in OPC patients ≥ 2 years post RT + / - chemotherapy was evaluated. Fatigue scores (multidimensional fatigue inventory; MFI) were compared to general population controls. Predictive sociodemographic/clinical factors of fatigue were investigated by multivariable linear regression. Associations between fatigue, health related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), work (work productivity and activity impairment - WPAI), mood disturbance (Profile of Mood Scale - POMS) and RT dose were explored.

resultsIn 349 patients treated for OPC with median follow-up time post-RT (+ / - chemo) of 6 years (IQR 4-8), > 20% reported severe fatigue in all domains. Scores were significantly worse in patients for mental (mean difference 1.2, 95% CI 0.6-1.8, p = < 0.001) and general fatigue (mean difference 0.8, 95% CI 0.1-1.3, p = 0.015) compared to controls. Age and co-morbidities were significant predictors of mental and general fatigue (p < 0.05). Worse fatigue was associated with worse quality of life, greater work productivity impairment and worse mood (r = - 0.604, 0.582 and 0.679, respectively, all p < 0.05). No correlation was found between fatigue and RT dose to the posterior fossa.

conclusionsMental and general fatigue remain significant issues in OPC patients several years after RT + / - chemotherapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Better monitoring of fatigue throughout follow-up care, and timely interventions could help improve patient functioning.

Indexed as

AffectCancer SurvivorsEfficiencyFatigueOropharyngeal NeoplasmsQuality of LifeRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedChronic fatigueHuman papilloma virusLate effectsOropharyngeal cancerRadiotherapySurvivorship

Identifiers

PMID39825989
PMCPMC13144248

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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.