Fatigue has been identified as a concept that has received increasing attention in the past decade. It has been shown to have a multifactorial aetiology, making effective treatment challenging and time-consuming. This is reflected in the research, which suggests that it is often poorly managed. This paper suggests that the increased recognition of this debilitating symptom and often inadequate treatment may result in nurses overemphasising fatigue
To enable patients to benefit from the rapidly expanding body of research, health-care professionals must take shared responsibility for the systematic assessment and treatment of fatigue, to help improve the experience of cancer and the effects of its treatments for patients.