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. 2016 May 9;7:73–82. doi: 10.2147/LCTT.S85334

Table 2.

Management of CRF in patients with lung cancer

Screening Revaluations


When From the diagnosis Lung cancer treated with surgery and/or neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapya or with chemoradiotherapy alone Metastatic LC


How Use of validated scales for fatigue:18
BFI (widely used in trials in LC), FACT-F, CFS, MFI
Performance status evaluation: KPS
Use of validated scales for QoL:5 EORTC
SF-36 QLQ-C30, SF-36 questionnaire, ESAS, others
Use of validated scales for pain:20,21,23 VAS pain, NRS pain
Sleep quality:23 sleep duration, trouble falling asleep, wake up feeling exhausted, sleepy during the day
Assessment of comorbidities:22,28,29,31
COPD, CVD, endocrine disorders (thyroid disease), anxiety-depressive syndrome, others
Daily use of drugs:1317 Opioids, benzodiazepines, neuroleptic, others
Abuse of substances:1317 Drugs, alcohol
Laboratory tests:1317 Blood count; thyroid, liver, and kidney function
Presence of cluster symptoms:20,21,23,52
Anxiety, depression (use HADS), insomnia, somnolence
Presence of respiratory cluster symptoms:6
Cough, breathlessness
Measuring lung function with PFTs:27
Spirometry to evaluate FEV1/FVC
Assessment of physical activity:6873,7482
Type of activity before and after the diagnosis. Current limitations
Other factors:45,46 ethnicity, socioeconomic and social situation, family relationships
Assessment for fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, somnolence and respiratory cluster symptoms at regular intervals in time (for each symptom it is recommended to always use the same scale)
Performance Status (KPS) at regular intervals in time
Measuring lung function with PFTs at regular intervals in time
Assessment of physical activity
Evaluation of symptoms related to adjuvant chemotherapy (sensory neuropathy to the legs)
Assessment for fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, somnolence, and respiratory cluster symptoms at regular intervals in time during treatment (for each symptom, it is recommended to always use the same scale)
Performance status (KPS) at each clinic visit
Measuring lung function with PFTs at regular intervals in time if stable disease and no obvious clinic progression
Assessment of physical activity
Evaluation of symptoms related to chemotherapy, target therapy and/or radiotherapy (if in use active therapies)


Proposed treatment Proposed treatment
Promote pulmonary rehabilitation programs if there is a presence of deficits
Promote physical activity based on the KPS and comorbidity
Pain control (if present)
Psychotherapy (if present distress)b
Multidisciplinary approachc
Natural remedies, complementary therapiesd
EPC
Promote pulmonary rehabilitation programs
if there is a presence of deficits (patients with COPD)
Promote physical activity based on the KPS
and comorbidity
Pain control (if present)
Psychotherapy (if present distress)b
Multidisciplinary approachc
Natural remedies, complementary therapiesd
Palliative care

Notes:

a

Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy

b

cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches, psychoeducation, topical counseling, energy conservation and activity management, and methods for the promotion and reinforcement of regeneration

c

if fatigue associated and/or worsened by other comorbidities (such as heart failure, thyroid disease)

d

hypnosis, yoga, and massage therapy.

Abbreviations: LC, lung cancer; BFI, Brief Fatigue Inventory; FACT-F, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue; CFS, Cancer Fatigue Scale; MFI, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory; KPS, Karnofsky Performance Status; QoL, quality of life; EORTC SF-36 QLQ-C30, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30; ESAS, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System; VAS, Visual Analog Scale; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVD, cardiovascular diseases; PFTs, pulmonary function tests; FEV1/FVC, forced vital capacity ratio; EPC, early palliative care.