Cancer fatigue: a neurobiological review for psychiatrists

BACKGROUND: Fatigue, both during and subsequent to treatment, is a ubiquitous and debilitating phenomenon for patients undergoing treatment for cancer of all types. OBJECTIVE: This review will focus on understanding the complex neurobiological mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and their relevance for various treatment routes. METHOD: The review will describe the prevalence of CRF, differential diagnosis, consideration of neurobiological mechanisms, and routes for intervention. DISCUSSION: The review will provide suggestions for future study and research, and a future article will describe behavioral and educational strategies psychiatrists may use in alleviating cancer fatigue.