Fatigue, anxiety, and depression in individuals treated with radiotherapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2176-7262.rmrp.2025.226115Keywords:
Oncology, Radiotherapy, Fatigue, Anxiety, DepressionAbstract
Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression are common in cancer patients, with their etiology still unknown. In this context, this study aimed to identify the presence of these symptoms in this population during radiotherapy treatment and to investigate a possible correlation between them. The sample consisted of individuals of both sexes aged 18 years or older. Data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire, and symptoms were measured using the FACT-F scale for fatigue and the HADS scale for anxiety and depression. The study included 56 individuals, with an average age of 57 years, most women (64%). It was identified that 43 individuals (76.7%) presented with fatigue, 37 (66%) were considered cases of anxiety, and 30 (53.5%) of depression. Women had higher scores for all three symptoms. A higher frequency of symptoms was observed at the final stage of radiotherapy, with fatigue being particularly prevalent (95%). These findings may contribute to the proposal of innovative approaches, management, and treatment of symptoms, as they can impact treatment adherence, tumor remission, and quality of life.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Alan Vinicius Assunção-Luiz, Milena Flória, Monique Maritan Theodoro Ferreira, Paloma Cristina Bonfim, Jennifer Thalita Targino dos Santos, Mariana Matos Gonzalez, Marina Teresa Aures da Silva, Gustavo Viani Arruda

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