Cancer Fatigue: A Neurobiological Review for Psychiatrists

BackgroundFatigue, both during and subsequent to treatment, is a ubiquitous and debilitating phenomenon for patients undergoing treatment for cancer of all types.ObjectiveThis review will focus on understanding the complex neurobiological mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and their relevance for various treatment routes.MethodThe review will describe the prevalence of CRF, differential diagnosis, consideration of neurobiological mechanisms, and routes for intervention.DiscussionThe 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.