The fatigue rate and association with serum cytokine and leptin levels in breast cancer patients undergoing postmastectomy radiotherapy: a prospective evaluation

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the fatigue rate during postmastectomy radiotherapy (RT) and the correlation between fatigue and serum cytokines and leptin levels. METHODS: Thirty-eight, stage II-III breast cancer patients undergoing RT were evaluated with quality of life, Cancer Fatigue Scale, Visual Analogue Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the serum inflammatory cytokine and leptin levels were measured. The association of serum marker levels with fatigue was analyzed. RESULTS: The fatigue rate increased during RT and decreased to pretreatment levels at 2 months following RT. Serum cytokine levels were not significantly changed with RT and was not found to be correlated with fatigue. Fatigue rate was found to be increased in cases with high leptin levels. A correlation was determined between preRT serum leptin levels and postRT fatigue rates (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: It is found that fatigue increases during RT; fatigue is correlated with high serum leptin levels and decreases to pretreatment levels at 2 months following RT.