Outcome Measures of Fatigue in Adults With Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy: A Scoping Review.

Cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) is a debilitating symptom experienced by many people undergoing radiation therapy, significantly impacting daily functioning and quality of life. Occupational therapists play a vital role in managing CRF, yet the lack of standardised outcome measures tailored to occupati...

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Published in:Occupational Therapy International Vol. 2026; pp. 1 - 15
Main Authors: Apostol, Courtney, Hitch, Danielle, Kaushik, Shashank
Format: research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell 6/1/2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 6/1/2026
      vid: 2026
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        10.1155/oti/7068284
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        atl: Outcome Measures of Fatigue in Adults With Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy: A Scoping Review.
      aug:
        au:
          Apostol, Courtney
          Hitch, Danielle
          Kaushik, Shashank
        affil: Occupational Therapy,, Sunshine Hospital,, Western Health,, St. Albans, Victoria,, Australia, westernhealth.org.au
      sug:
        subj:
          Cancer Fatigue In Adulthood
          Outcomes (Health Care)
          Cancer Patients
          Neoplasms Radiotherapy
          Occupational Therapy
          Human
          Systematic Review
          Occupational Therapists
          Prostatic Neoplasms
          Medline
          CINAHL Database
          Embase
          PubMed
          Activities of Daily Living
          Outpatients
          Male
          Female
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Breast Neoplasms
          Head and Neck Neoplasms
          Descriptive Statistics
          Thematic Analysis
          Adult
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) is a debilitating symptom experienced by many people undergoing radiation therapy, significantly impacting daily functioning and quality of life. Occupational therapists play a vital role in managing CRF, yet the lack of standardised outcome measures tailored to occupational therapy practice hinders effective assessment and intervention. This scoping review is aimed at identifying and mapping validated fatigue outcome measures suitable for outpatient radiotherapy settings and discussing their relevance to occupational therapy. Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, a comprehensive search was conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed, identifying 445 records. After screening, 12 studies published between 2010 and 2022 from seven countries were included. Breast, head and neck and prostate cancers were commonly studied, most often using prospective cohort designs. Most studies used multidimensional, self‐reported outcome measures, administered at multiple times throughout radiotherapy and at follow‐up. While these measures assessed physical, emotional and cognitive fatigue, few addressed activity or participation in daily life. The findings highlight a gap in outcome measures that comprehensively evaluate activity and participation. This gap limits their utility in tailoring interventions or demonstrating the impact of occupational therapy. This review underscores the need for developing or adapting CRF outcome measures that better align with occupational therapy goals to enhance clinical decision‐making and research in outpatient radiotherapy settings.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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