Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Persistent Severe Fatigue in Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study

Objectives: Fatigue is a common and disabling late effect in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). In this pilot study, the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in CCS with persistent and severe fatigue was retrospectively evaluated. Materials and Methods: In total, 33 consecutively referred CCS with persistent severe fatigue were offered CBT. The primary outcome was fatigue severity (Checklist Individual Strength, Fatigue Severity Subscale). Secondary outcomes were functional impairment, psychologic distress, and quality of life (QoL). Results: In total, 25 CCS completed CBT (76%). The mean age of CCS was 23.1 years (range, 11 to 42 y), mean age at primary cancer diagnosis was 9.7 years (range, 0 to 17 y), and mean time since primary cancer diagnosis was 13 years (range, 5 to 34 y). Fatigue severity ([INCREMENT] 17.4; confidence interval (CI)=12.7-22.1; P
Source: Journal of Pediatric Hematology Oncology - Category: Hematology Tags: Medical Progress Source Type: research