Introduction
Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with cancer1–3 that can adversely impact
quality of life (QoL).4 Many studies report that for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, fatigue incidence is ∼60%;5 however, reported prevalence rates vary widely
depending on how fatigue is defied and measured, as well as the patient population
studied.
Although it is diffiult to manage fatigue directly caused by disease, effective
therapies exist for chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA), and correcting anemia in patients receiving chemotherapy is, therefore, recommended
as a method for managing fatigue.6–10 The effectiveness of
erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and/or red blood
cell (RBC) transfusions in managing CIA by raising hemoglobin (Hb) levels is well documented.11,12 However, data on
the impact of such treatments on fatigue are more limited.