What Reduces The Severity Of Tiredness
The level of tiredness a person experiences relates closely to other activities during treatment. What a person eats, how much they sleep, their level of pain and mental stress affect the body and result in fatigue. Those with a cancer diagnosis and receiving treatment, including radiotherapy, should follow the advice of their board-certified radiation therapy oncologist to combat fatigue. Some common methods for reducing fatigue include:
How Long Does Cancer Fatigue Last
Everyones experience with cancer fatigue is unique. For some people, fatigue lasts a few weeks. Others may feel exhausted for years. You may feel better when your cancer treatments stop, but often fatigue lingers.
- Bone marrow transplants can cause prolonged fatigue that lasts up to a year.
- Radiation therapy fatigue often gets worse as treatments progress. Fatigue should lessen a few months after you stop treatment.
- Surgery tends to cause temporary fatigue that goes away after you recover.
- Systemic treatments can cause fatigue that comes and goes. These treatments include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. You may be exhausted while taking the medications and feel better during the recovery phase . When treatment resumes, you feel exhausted again. You should have more energy when you finish the treatment.
Why Does Chemotherapy Cause Diarrhea
The powerful anticancer medicines you take can affect the healthy cells in your body, including the cells that line the inside of your intestines. Your intestines help your body to take in food, water, and other liquids. If your chemotherapy medicines affect the cells that line the inside of your intestines, they cannot take food and water into your body very well. The food and water stay in your intestines. This causes diarrhea.
Diarrhea usually happens in the first few days after your chemotherapy treatment. It may also happen one or two weeks after you get your chemotherapy treatment. If you have diarrhea, you should tell your doctor and health care team right away. If your diarrhea is untreated, you may become dehydrated . There are medicines that your doctor or health care team can give to you that will make your diarrhea better.
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If Youre Getting Radiation Therapy To The Breast
If you have radiation to the breast, it can affect your heart or lungs as well causing other side effects.
Short-term side effects
Radiation to the breast can cause:
- Skin irritation, dryness, and color changes
- Breast soreness
- Breast swelling from fluid build-up
To avoid irritating the skin around the breast, women should try to go without wearing a bra whenever they can. If this isnt possible, wear a soft cotton bra without underwires.
If your shoulders feel stiff, ask your cancer care team about exercises to keep your shoulder moving freely.
Breast soreness, color changes, and fluid build-up will most likely go away a month or 2 after you finish radiation therapy. If fluid build-up continues to be a problem, ask your cancer care team what steps you can take. See Lymphedema for more information.
Long-term changes to the breast
Radiation therapy may cause long-term changes in the breast. Your skin may be slightly darker, and pores may be larger and more noticeable. The skin may be more or less sensitive and feel thicker and firmer than it was before treatment. Sometimes the size of your breast changes it may become larger because of fluid build-up or smaller because of scar tissue. These side effects may last long after treatment.
After about a year, you shouldnt have any new changes. If you do see changes in breast size, shape, appearance, or texture after this time, tell your cancer care team about them right away.
Less common side effects in nearby areas
How Long Does Fatigue Or Weakness Last
Fatigue that is due to cancer and its treatment can last for weeks, months, or years. It often continues after treatment ends.
- For people who have surgery for cancer with no other treatment, fatigue often decreases or goes away over time as they recover from surgery.
- For people getting chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy in cycles, fatigue often gets worse at first and may get better until the next treatment, when the pattern starts again.
- For those getting radiation therapy, fatigue usually gets worse as the treatment goes on and often lessens within a few months after treatment is complete.
Fatigue can:
- Differ from one day to the next in how bad it is and how much it bothers you
- Be overwhelming and make it hard for you to feel well
- Make it hard for you to be with your friends and family
- Make it hard for you to do things you normally do, including going to work
- Make it harder for you to follow your cancer treatment plan.
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How To Manage Fatigue When You Have Prostate Cancer
Fatigue for someone who has prostate cancer is much more than just feeling tired and its not something that can be remedied with a good nights sleep. Fatigue can be completely debilitating and many men cite it as one of the worst things about having prostate cancer
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Fatigue with prostate cancer is often caused by a combination of elements. Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can zap energy, coupled with the stress and anxiety of having cancer, its little wonder that many prostate cancer patients suffer from the symptom.
However, its possible to manage fatigue according to Prostate Cancer UK. Ensuring that you try to live as healthily as possible eating well, sleeping well, drinking plenty of water, and gentle exercise can help to lessen the effects of fatigue. Conserving energy when youre feeling fatigued and only doing the bare minimum will help ease feelings of exhaustion.
Planning ahead will help you ensure you dont overload your schedule. Lean on those around you for support and if fatigue is affecting your job, ask your boss if you can work from home or change your hours so youre working at a more suitable time. Prioritize what needs to be done and what can be left or delegated to others. Look for ways to make chores or tasks easier sitting down instead of standing or tackling jobs in segments rather than doing it all at once.
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Inflammation From Adt May Cause Fatigue In Prostate Cancer Patients
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the U.S.
For many patients, hormone therapy is a treatment option.
This type of therapy, also called androgen deprivation therapy , reduces the level of testosterone and other androgens in the body.
Lowering androgen levels can make prostate cancer cells grow more slowly or shrink tumours over time.
However, patients receiving ADT often experience higher levels of fatigue, depression and cognitive impairment.
Moffitt Cancer Center researchers are investigating whether inflammation in the body, a side effect of ADT, contributes to these symptoms in prostate cancer patients.
In a new study published in the journal Cancer, they pinpoint a specific inflammation marker that is associated with increased fatigue in this group of patients.
“This is the first study that we know of that examines the association between inflammation and symptoms of fatigue, depression or cognitive impairment in prostate cancer patients receiving ADT,” said Heather Jim, Ph.D., corresponding author and co-leader of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt. “Because the blocking of testosterone can increase inflammation in the body, we believe that inflammation may also be contributing to these symptoms.”
For the study, the research team evaluated two groups of men: prostate cancer patients beginning ADT and a control group of healthy men the same age.
The men were assessed at the start of the study and again at six and 12 months.
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Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer may not cause any signs or symptoms in its early stages. Signs and symptoms often appear as the tumour grows and causes changes in the body such as changes in bladder habits. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as prostate cancer.
The signs or symptoms of prostate cancer include:
- more frequent urination , especially at night
- a strong or sudden urge to urinate
- difficulty starting the flow of urine
- weak or slow urine stream
- interrupted urine stream
- being unable to empty the bladder completely
- having difficulty controlling the bladder , which can cause urine to leak and dribble
- blood in the urine or semen
- burning or pain during urination
- discomfort or pain when sitting, caused by an enlarged prostate
- painful ejaculation
- pain or stiffness in back, hips or pelvis that doesnt go away
- fatigue
In rare cases, prostate cancer can cause paraneoplastic syndrome. This is a group of symptoms including high blood pressure, fatigue and weight loss that may happen when substances released by cancer cells disrupt the normal function of nearby or distant organs or tissues.
In some cases, prostate cancer can cause serious problems. These cancer-related emergencies are uncommon but need to be treated right away and are usually a sign of advanced cancer:
If Youre Getting Radiation Therapy To The Abdomen
If you are getting radiation to your stomach or some part of the abdomen , you may have side effects such as:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
Eating or avoiding certain foods can help with some of these problems, so diet planning is an important part of radiation treatment of the stomach or abdomen. Ask your cancer care team about what you can expect, and what medicines you should take to help relieve these problems. Check with your cancer care team about any home remedies or over-the-counter drugs youre thinking about using.
These problems should get better when treatment is over.
Managing nausea
Some people feel queasy for a few hours right after radiation therapy. If you have this problem, try not eating for a couple of hours before and after your treatment. You may handle the treatment better on an empty stomach. If the problem doesnt go away, ask your cancer care team about medicines to help prevent and treat nausea. Be sure to take the medicine exactly as you are told to do.
If you notice nausea before your treatment, try eating a bland snack, like toast or crackers, and try to relax as much as possible. See Nausea and Vomiting to get tips to help an upset stomach and learn more about how to manage these side effects.
Managing diarrhea
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Prostate Cancer Treatments Does Prostate Cancer Make You Tired
The treatments for cancer will be determined after a diagnosis and placing is ended. There will be a lot of information to think about before discussing treatment alternatives with medical doctors. If private individuals has been lately diagnosed, then many prostate cancer treatments are available.
ManagementBasic prostate cancer treatments concern the active surveillance of the cancer and attentive waiting. Active surveillance is a treatment option that involves monitoring the cancer exerting specific blood tests and many ultrasounds.This is normally done at standard lulls required to determine whether the cancer is proliferating. Mindful waiting will be less intensive with test and locating the decisions on the symptoms of the patient. The option to use any form of managing the technique is often done in early stages.
SurgeryA common therapy that is meant to dry cancer is surgery. This is often a medicine alternative when the cancer is at the T1 or T2 stage and has not spread outside the gland. The most common type of surgery for cancer is announced progressive prostatectomy.In this functioning, the surgeon is lifting the prostate gland along with some of the encircling tissue. There are many directions this action can be done discussing options with your doctor will be a good thing.
Any prostate cancer treatments that are considered will take into account the current age of the patient, lifespan promises, and the grade or stage of the cancer.
Can Stress Management Help With Cancer Fatigue
Managing stress can play an important role in combating fatigue. Here are some ways you can manage stress:
- Adjust your expectations. For example, if you have a list of 10 things you want to accomplish today, pare it down to two and leave the rest for other days. A sense of accomplishment goes a long way to reducing stress.
- Help others to understand and support you. Family and friends can be helpful if they can “put themselves in your shoes” and understand what cancer fatigue means for you. Cancer support groups can be a source of support as well. Other people with cancer truly understand what you are going through.
- Relaxation techniques including guided meditation, deep breathing or visualization can help reduce stress and minimize cancer fatigue.
- Divert your attention. Activities that divert your attention away from fatigue can also be helpful. Activities that require little physical energy but demand attention include knitting, reading or listening to music.
If your stress feels overwhelming, talk to your healthcare provider. They are there to help.
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What Else Can Cause Fatigue
Many other factors can make you feel tired and fatigued if you have cancer. Some of these include:
- not sleeping well at night or sleeping too much during the day
- treatment may be harder for you to cope with especially if youâre elderly
- your tiredness may make it harder for you to concentrate so everything seems more difficult making you feel even more tired
- travelling to and from the hospital for treatment
- having a lot of visitors when you are staying in hospital
- looking after children
- other health problems such as diabetes, problems with your lungs, heart problems and being overweight
You can ask your nurses to tell your visitors that they can only stay with you for a short time. Donât feel bad if you have to do this. You need a lot of rest and your friends and family will understand.
Fatigue From Prostate Radiation
Fatigue occurs in about half the men who undergo radiation therapy for prostate cancer. It is probably related to the body responding to the inflammation in the prostate. Usually it is mild, but in some cases it is moderate or severe and interferes with work and other activities. Fatigue is more common in men who already have some fatigue before they even start radiation. It is also more common and intense in patients who are simultaneously receiving testosterone-reducing hormone therapy injections like Lupron for their cancer.
The fatigue from radiation usually takes a few weeks to start, it may worsen for several weeks, and then level off during the last 3 weeks or so of treatment. The fatigue usually improves and goes away during the first 2 6 weeks after RT has ended. These time frames are quite variable from patient to patient. There are reports of some men that may have some chronic fatigue for months afterwards.
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How Cancer Treatment Causes Fatigue
Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, hormone therapy, immunotherapythese treatments and their common side effects challenge the body, and the body needs energy to recover.
When you start a new treatment, the body produces cytokines to help boost the immune response. When cells die, the body works to clean up those dying cells, causing inflammation. Its a desirable response in this case, but inflammationboth acute and chronicalso causes fatigue.
You can compare this fatigue to how you feel when your body fights the flu or another infection, like COVID-19. While your bodys working hard to fight the infection, you feel tired.
How and when you experience fatigue from cancer treatment may vary according to the treatment youre receiving and its side effects.
Prostate Cancer And Fatigue
Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer may experience fatigue as a serious side effect of both their prostate cancer and its associated treatments. Physically speaking, being fatigued can leave your body feeling drained, lethargic and weak. It can also adversely affect your energy levels as well as your ability to maintain daily normal function. The specific reason for cancer related fatigue is unknown. However when being treated for prostate cancer your body will undergo a number of physical changes and any one factor by itself or combined can contribute to prostate cancer fatigue.
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Inflammation From Androgen Deprivation Therapy May Cause Fatigue In Prostate Cancer Patients
TAMPA, Fla. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the U.S. For many patients, hormone therapy is a treatment option. This type of therapy, also called androgen deprivation therapy , reduces the level of testosterone and other androgens in the body. Lowering androgen levels can make prostate cancer cells grow more slowly or shrink tumors over time. However, patients receiving ADT often experience higher levels of fatigue, depression and cognitive impairment.
Moffitt Cancer Center researchers are investigating whether inflammation in the body, a side effect of ADT, contributes to these symptoms in prostate cancer patients. In a new study published in the journal Cancer, they pinpoint a specific inflammation marker that is associated with increased fatigue in this group of patients.
This is the first study that we know of that examines the association between inflammation and symptoms of fatigue, depression or cognitive impairment in prostate cancer patients receiving ADT, said Heather Jim, Ph.D., corresponding author and co-leader of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt. Because the blocking of testosterone can increase inflammation in the body, we believe that inflammation may also be contributing to these symptoms.
The researchers say additional studies are needed to see if interventions, such as anti-inflammatory medications and exercise, can help alleviate fatigue and depressive symptoms in ADT patients.
