Supporting Patients with Cancer-Related Fatigue: Helping Patients to Prosper with Complementary Medicine
Cancer related fatigue is defined as a distressing, persistent, subjective sense of physical, emotional, and/or cognitive tiredness or exhaustion related to cancer or cancer treatment, that is not proportional to recent activity and interferes with usual functioning.1 Patients perceive fatigue to be the most distressing symptom associated with cancer and its treatment, more distressing even than pain or nausea and vomiting, which can generally be managed by medications.2 Cancer-related fatigue occurs in up to 90% of patients treated with radiation and 80% of patients treated with chemotherapy.3 Research shows that complementary and integrative therapies may play an important role in relieving cancer-related fatigue.4
Initial Consultation
Mrs C is a 49 year old woman who presented for support during treatment for Stage 2 oesophageal cancer. Her current treatment involved 25 daily sessions of radiotherapy to the throat area. She had undergone two sessions at this time. She was experiencing notable fatigue, with an average energy rating of 2-3/10, which was having a significant negative impact on her ability to cope with treatment and maintain her normal daily activities. She was also seeking support to maintain her ability to eat and swallow, which is often impacted by radiotherapy to the neck and head.
Prescription
- Wholefood Powdered Multivitamin Powder – take 1 teaspoon twice daily with
morning and afternoon tea
- Microcirculation Polyphenol Powder – take 1 scoop daily with morning tea
- Gut Repair Powder– take 1 teaspoon twice daily with morning and afternoon tea,
take a third dose if feeling any discomfort throughout the day, sip slowly
- Herbal tonic with Synergistic Mushroom Combination 70 mL, Korean Ginseng 1:2
10 mLand Withania 2:1 20 mL– take 5 mL twice daily with morning and
afternoon tea
- Vitamin D – take 2000 IU daily with morning tea
Add everything into a morning tea and afternoon tea vegan protein smoothie with mango, kiwi, banana and 200-300 mL of water
Second Consultation- Two Week Follow Up
By this consultation, Mrs C had undergone 16 radiotherapy sessions. She was able to continue eating soft foods throughout this time. Her energy had greatly improved to 6/10, which had made a significant difference in her ability to function in daily life. However she was beginning to experience some brain fog and low mood.
Prescription
- Continue previous prescription
- Add Learning and Memory Magnesium Powder – take 1 scoop twice daily with
morning and afternoon tea
- Omega-3 liquid– take 5 mL daily with food
Third Consultation- Four Week Follow Up
Mrs C had now completed all 25 of her scheduled radiotherapy sessions, which were deemed successful in treating the cancer. She was generally feeling good now that radiotherapy was over, with her energy averaging 6-8/10, and improvements in mood and brain fog. She was also able to continue eating soft foods, and had a good appetite. She was experiencing some difficulty with sleeping and with stress levels due to issues with her job and being unable to work during treatment. Mrs C wanted to focus on recovering as quickly as possible and getting back to work.
Prescription
- Wholefood Powdered Multivitamin Powder – take 1 teaspoon twice daily in
morning and evening tea ongoing
- Microcirculation Polyphenol Powder – take 1 scoop daily with morning tea, for 4
more weeks
- Herbal tonic with Synergistic Mushroom Combination 20 mL, Astragalus 1:2
20 mL, Tinospora 1:2 20 mL, Gynostemma 1:1 20 mL and Passionflower 1:2
20 mL– take 5 mL twice daily in the morning and evening, ongoing
- Omega-3 liquid– take 5 mL daily with food
- Allergy Probiotic Powder/Sachets - take 1 sachet daily
- Calming Magnesium Powder - take 2 scoops twice daily in the morning
and evening
Clinical Reflections
Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the mainstays of cancer treatment, however they can be associated with significant adverse effects such as cancer-related fatigue. Supporting oncology patients with complementary therapies may help to manage these adverse effects, improving patient’s quality of life and tolerance to treatment. We can utilise the best of our traditional and evidence-based strategies, botanical and nutritional therapies plus lifestyle therapies to support the fatigue that threatens every oncology patient’s quality of life.
