Abstract

In the last 20 years, the body of knowledge regarding the benefits of psychosocial interventions for cancer survivors has grown substantially. Psychosocial interventions include activities such as support interventions (either individually or in groups), education, stress management, coping strategy training, and behavioral interventions designed to assist survivors with managing their CRF. Psychosocial interventions may be particularly useful for cancer survivors whose exercise is contraindicated, or as an adjunct to exercise programs. As with exercise interventions, a growing body of empirical data supports the use of psychosocial interventions for the management of CRF. Randomized, controlled clinical trials have examined a variety of psychosocial interventions in cancer survivors during and after treatment. Taken together, the results of these studies suggest that psychosocial support therapy portends lower levels of CRF among patients undergoing treatment and cancer survivors with different cancer diagnoses. Additionally, this research suggests that psychosocial interventions are effective in helping to manage CRF, whether delivered individually or in a group setting, orally or written, or by a licensed professional or a trained. Although pain has become a direct manifestation contributing to fatigue among patients suffering from cancer. In various studies, these individuals were less active, ate less, slept less, and had problems with depression. Medications also affected fatigue levels, as did co-morbid conditions.