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 ( <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><a:mi>n</a:mi><a:mo>=</a:mo><a:mn>152</a:mn></a:math> ) and the nonfatigue group ( <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><c:mi>n</c:mi><c:mo>=</c:mo><c:mn>78</c:mn></c:math> ) 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 ( <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><e:msup><e:mrow><e:mi>χ</e:mi></e:mrow><e:mrow><e:mn>2</e:mn></e:mrow></e:msup><e:mo>=</e:mo><e:mn>41.671</e:mn></e:math> , <g:math xmlns:g="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><g:mi>P</g:mi><g:mo><</g:mo><g:mn>0.001</g:mn></g:math> ), T stage ratio ( <i:math xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><i:msup><i:mrow><i:mi>χ</i:mi></i:mrow><i:mrow><i:mn>2</i:mn></i:mrow></i:msup><i:mo>=</i:mo><i:mn>9.973</i:mn></i:math> , <k:math xmlns:k="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6"><k:mi>P</k:mi><k:mo>=</k:mo><k:mn>0.019</k:mn></k:math> ), N stage ratio ( <m:math xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7"><m:mi>P</m:mi><m:mo><</m:mo><m:mn>0.001</m:mn></m:math> ), PS score ( <o:math xmlns:o="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8"><o:mi>P</o:mi><o:mo><</o:mo><o:mn>0.001</o:mn></o:math> ), and the degree of gastric cancer thickening ( <q:math xmlns:q="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M9"><q:mn>14.21</q:mn><q:mo>±</q:mo><q:mn>3.32</q:mn></q:math> vs. <s:math xmlns:s="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M10"><s:mn>12.12</s:mn><s:mo>±</s:mo><s:mn>3.81</s:mn></s:math> mm, <u:math xmlns:u="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M11"><u:mi>t</u:mi><u:mo>=</u:mo><u:mn>4.572</u:mn></u:math> , <w:math xmlns:w="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M12"><w:mi>P</w:mi><w:mo><</w:mo><w:mn>0.001</w:mn></w:math> ). Patients with gastric cancer had the lowest CRF Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score for general activities ( <y:math xmlns:y="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M13"><y:mn>2.26</y:mn><y:mo>±</y:mo><y:mn>0.37</y:mn></y:math> ) and high scores for work activities ( <ab:math xmlns:ab="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M14"><ab:mn>6.23</ab:mn><ab:mo>±</ab:mo><ab:mn>0.24</ab:mn></ab:math> ) and enjoyment of life ( <cb:math xmlns:cb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M15"><cb:mn>7.11</cb:mn><cb:mo>±</cb:mo><cb:mn>1.34</cb:mn></cb:math> ). Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between patient emotions and the CRF BFI score ( <eb:math xmlns:eb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M16"><eb:mi>r</eb:mi><eb:mo>=</eb:mo><eb:mn>0.443</eb:mn></eb:math> , <gb:math xmlns:gb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M17"><gb:mi>P</gb:mi><gb:mo>=</gb:mo><gb:mn>0.001</gb:mn></gb:math> ). Patients with mild, moderate, and severe CRF showed statistically significant differences in physical functioning ( <ib:math xmlns:ib="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M18"><ib:mn>83.34</ib:mn><ib:mo>±</ib:mo><ib:mn>21.12</ib:mn></ib:math> vs. <kb:math xmlns:kb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M19"><kb:mn>65.23</kb:mn><kb:mo>±</kb:mo><kb:mn>21.14</kb:mn></kb:math> vs. <mb:math xmlns:mb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M20"><mb:mn>32.25</mb:mn><mb:mo>±</mb:mo><mb:mn>17.29</mb:mn></mb:math> , <ob:math xmlns:ob="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M21"><ob:mi>F</ob:mi><ob:mo>=</ob:mo><ob:mn>15.382</ob:mn></ob:math> , <qb:math xmlns:qb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M22"><qb:mi>P</qb:mi><qb:mo><</qb:mo><qb:mn>0.001</qb:mn></qb:math> ), role emotional ( <sb:math xmlns:sb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M23"><sb:mn>72.53</sb:mn><sb:mo>±</sb:mo><sb:mn>21.21</sb:mn></sb:math> vs. <ub:math xmlns:ub="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M24"><ub:mn>67.33</ub:mn><ub:mo>±</ub:mo><ub:mn>27.56</ub:mn></ub:math> vs. <wb:math xmlns:wb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M25"><wb:mn>54.37</wb:mn><wb:mo>±</wb:mo><wb:mn>26.45</wb:mn></wb:math> , <yb:math xmlns:yb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M26"><yb:mi>F</yb:mi><yb:mo>=</yb:mo><yb:mn>14.483</yb:mn></yb:math> , <ac:math xmlns:ac="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M27"><ac:mi>P</ac:mi><ac:mo><</ac:mo><ac:mn>0.001</ac:mn></ac:math> ), fatigue ( <cc:math xmlns:cc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M28"><cc:mn>49.12</cc:mn><cc:mo>±</cc:mo><cc:mn>18.44</cc:mn></cc:math> vs. <ec:math xmlns:ec="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M29"><ec:mn>54.61</ec:mn><ec:mo>±</ec:mo><ec:mn>26.64</ec:mn></ec:math> vs. <gc:math xmlns:gc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M30"><gc:mn>67.51</gc:mn><gc:mo>±</gc:mo><gc:mn>14.27</gc:mn></gc:math> , <ic:math xmlns:ic="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M31"><ic:mi>F</ic:mi><ic:mo>=</ic:mo><ic:mn>13.581</ic:mn></ic:math> , <kc:math xmlns:kc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M32"><kc:mi>P</kc:mi><kc:mo><</kc:mo><kc:mn>0.001</kc:mn></kc:math> ), bodily pain ( <mc:math xmlns:mc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M33"><mc:mn>56.56</mc:mn><mc:mo>±</mc:mo><mc:mn>25.12</mc:mn></mc:math> vs. <oc:math xmlns:oc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M34"><oc:mn>76.43</oc:mn><oc:mo>±</oc:mo><oc:mn>21.71</oc:mn></oc:math> vs. <qc:math xmlns:qc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M35"><qc:mn>80.32</qc:mn><qc:mo>±</qc:mo><qc:mn>12.39</qc:mn></qc:math> , <sc:math xmlns:sc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M36"><sc:mi>F</sc:mi><sc:mo>=</sc:mo><sc:mn>14.582</sc:mn></sc:math> , <uc:math xmlns:uc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M37"><uc:mi>P</uc:mi><uc:mo><</uc:mo><uc:mn>0.001</uc:mn></uc:math> ), appetite reduction ( <wc:math xmlns:wc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M38"><wc:mn>57.45</wc:mn><wc:mo>±</wc:mo><wc:mn>25.47</wc:mn></wc:math> vs. <yc:math xmlns:yc="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M39"><yc:mn>69.51</yc:mn><yc:mo>±</yc:mo><yc:mn>16.21</yc:mn></yc:math> vs. <ad:math xmlns:ad="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M40"><ad:mn>76.23</ad:mn><ad:mo>±</ad:mo><ad:mn>27.58</ad:mn></ad:math> , <cd:math xmlns:cd="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M41"><cd:mi>F</cd:mi><cd:mo>=</cd:mo><cd:mn>14.592</cd:mn></cd:math> , <ed:math xmlns:ed="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M42"><ed:mi>P</ed:mi><ed:mo><</ed:mo><ed:mn>0.001</ed:mn></ed:math> ), and overall health status and quality of life ( <gd:math xmlns:gd="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M43"><gd:mn>67.21</gd:mn><gd:mo>±</gd:mo><gd:mn>19.45</gd:mn></gd:math> vs. <id:math xmlns:id="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M44"><id:mn>53.43</id:mn><id:mo>±</id:mo><id:mn>22.32</id:mn></id:math> vs. <kd:math xmlns:kd="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M45"><kd:mn>43.43</kd:mn><kd:mo>±</kd:mo><kd:mn>12.52</kd:mn></kd:math> , <md:math xmlns:md="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M46"><md:mi>F</md:mi><md:mo>=</md:mo><md:mn>16.494</md:mn></md:math> , <od:math xmlns:od="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M47"><od:mi>P</od:mi><od:mo><</od:mo><od:mn>0.001</od:mn></od:math> ). 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 <qd:math xmlns:qd="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M48"><qd:mi>P</qd:mi><qd:mo><</qd:mo><qd:mn>0.05</qd:mn></qd:math> ). 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.