Are survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma at greater risk of chronic fatigue as adults?

Chronic fatigue can negatively affect a person's health-related quality of life and ability to work and carry out normal daily functions. Authors Hanne Hamre, MD and colleagues Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo Norway used a questionnaire, clinical examination, and blood samples to compare adult survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma to a control group from the general population. The prevalence of chronic fatigue was 27% among the cancer survivors compared to 8% among controls.

In the article “High Prevalence of Chronic Fatigue in Adult Long-Term Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoma during Childhood and Adolescence,” (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jayao.2012.0015) the authors describe factors predictive of chronic fatigue among the adult cancer survivors and present blood analysis findings suggestive of a persistent low-grade inflammatory response that may contribute to the chronic fatigue.

“Chronic fatigue in cancer survivors is often an under-appreciated complication of treatment,” says Editor-in-Chief Leonard S. Sender, MD, of the University of California, Irvine and CHOC Children's Hospital. “There is a general belief that after successful treatment a survivor should be able to bounce back without lasting effects. Hamre and colleagues demonstrate that fatigue is a larger problem than generally appreciated. Their findings put a spotlight on this key aspect of cancer survivorship and serve to encourage the medical community to communicate with cancer survivor patients about possible chronic fatigue.”

About the Journal

Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (JAYAO) (http://www.liebertpub.com/JAYAO) is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal, published online with Open Access options (http://www.liebertpub.com/openaccess/jayao) and in print, dedicated to the promotion of interdisciplinary research, education, communication, and collaboration between health professionals in AYA oncology. JAYAO provides a forum for AYA cancer research and practice advances for all professional participants and researchers in care for AYA-aged cancer patients and survivors. Our multidisciplinary editorial board and readership includes but is not limited to: pediatric, medical, and surgical oncologists of all types and specialties; oncology nurses and advanced practice staff; psychosocial and supportive care providers including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers; translational cancer researchers; and academic- and community-based pediatric and adult cancer institutions. Complete tables of content and a sample issue (http://online.liebertpub.com/toc/jayao/1/1) are available on the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (JAYAO) (http://www.liebertpub.com/JAYAO) website.
About the Society

The Society for Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (SAYAO) (http://www.sayao.org) is an international professional organization dedicated to improving adolescent and young adult cancer care through the promotion of interdisciplinary research, education, communication, and collaboration among health professionals. Patients and survivors aged 15-39 are a distinct patient population within oncology, and SAYAO focuses on the unique biological, clinical, psychosocial, and survivorship issues of this age group.
About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com) is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative medical and biomedical peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Palliative Medicine and Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceutials. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's over 70 journals, newsmagazines, and books is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com) website.