Fatigue, weight gain, and altered sexuality in patients with breast cancer: exploration of a symptom cluster.

@article{Wilmoth2004FatigueWG,
  title={Fatigue, weight gain, and altered sexuality in patients with breast cancer: exploration of a symptom cluster.},
  author={Margaret Wilmoth and Elizabeth Ann Coleman and Steven C. Smith and Carla Davis},
  journal={Oncology nursing forum},
  year={2004},
  volume={31 6},
  pages={
          1069-75
        }
}
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To identify the symptom cluster of fatigue, weight gain, and altered sexuality caused by treatment for breast cancer. DATA SOURCES Published research and literature review articles. DATA SYNTHESIS Fatigue, weight gain, and altered sexuality commonly occur after breast cancer chemotherapy. Each symptom has a significant impact on quality of life; however, viewing them as a symptom cluster magnifies their impact. CONCLUSIONS These symptoms have yet to be studied as a… 
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90 Citations
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90 Citations

Fatigue and menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer undergoing hormonal cancer treatment.

  • A. GlausC. Boehme R. von Moos
  • Medicine, Psychology
    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology
  • 2006
Fatigue accompanies menopausal symptoms and an association can be expected in women with breast cancer undergoing hormonal treatment, and methods for routine screening for menopausal Symptoms, including fatigue, are suggested.

Clinical update: psychosocial responses in breast cancer survivors.

  • M. Knobf
  • Psychology, Medicine
    Seminars in oncology nursing
  • 2011

Breast Cancer Survivors

It is found that women continue to experience a variety of physical and psychological symptoms and have concrete information and support needs following therapy, including the need for information on persistent treatment effects, emotional distress, and lifestyle changes.

Cancer‐Related Fatigue: The Evidence Base for Assessment and Management

This paper reviews the etiology and evaluation of cancer-related fatigue and analyzes current empirical evidence supporting pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic techniques for its management and identifies the interventions that are most effective in specific cancer subpopulations.

Sexual dysfunction related to the treatment of young women with breast cancer.

The potential side effects of treatment that can affect sexual health, the unique needs of young women, and nursing interventions that systematically address sexual health concerns are explored.

Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy

“I don’t look like myself”, worrying, and feeling drowsy were found to be the strongest predictors of quality of life across all data collection phases, and issues regarding instability of symptoms within a cluster across phases were discussed.

Sexual Consequences of Chemotherapy

A common consequence of chemotherapy is loss of sexual desire, since sexuality is symbolic of life, while cancer calls to mind a death experience.

Symptom Clusters in Breast Cancer Survivors Prevalence, Predictors, and Consequences

Investigating symptom clusters, their demographic predictors and functional consequences, among women survivors of breast cancer found that women in the more symptomatic clusters were younger and significantly associated with the physical and social role functional outcomes.

Fatigue and quality of life of women undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy for breast cancer

The results of the study demonstrate that healthcare professionals should enhance healthcare professionals’ awareness of the importance of symptom assessment, and provide them with information for planning effective symptom-management strategies among this study population.

Disorders of Female Sexual Arousal

Of particular interest to this chapter is that Joanne is suffering from female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), which has been traditionally defined as an impairment in a woman’s ability to become physiologically aroused (genital lubrication and swelling).
...

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