Psychosocial interventions for cancer-related fatigue in post-treatment cancer survivors: a systematic review of the literature

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a persistent, distressing symptom that can extend into long-term survivorship. A systematic literature review using Cochrane methodology was conducted to evaluate psychosocial interventions to reduce fatigue in samples comprised exclusively of post-treatment cancer survivors. Databases were searched extensively and two authors independently screened titles and abstracts for their eligibility for inclusion. Randomised controlled trials which evaluated psychosocial interventions for adults with post –treatment CRF were included. Two authors independently extracted data using a standard data extraction form and assessed the risk of bias of selected studies. The search returned 6,380 papers. Following an assessment of the titles and abstracts, 12 papers remained. These included interventions employing CBT, sleep hygiene and psychoeducation techniques. The review highlighted heterogeneity in terms of sampling, methodology, and study quality. The findings suggest that psychosocial interventions were effective in addressing cancer-related fatigue. However, few interventions for CRF specifically target cancer survivors who are post-treatment. This review was the first to evaluate if psychosocial interventions are effective for post-treatment CRF and indicated a need to embed psychological theory in the design process.