Fatigue post breast cancer treatment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A proof-of-concept investigation of a new model to explain fatigue experienced post breast cancer treatment
IRAS ID
355292
Contact name
Jeanne Dekerle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Brighton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
75-90% of breast cancer patients may experience long-lasting fatigue for many years after treatment, a condition called “Cancer-Related Fatigue” (CRF). We want to understand why CRF is experienced in some patients through the testing of a group of individuals with CRF and a group of individuals who haven’t gone through a cancer diagnosis and treatment, and do not normally feel fatigue. This study has also been designed to investigate how our two groups perceive fatigue when performing a physical task; we expect that beyond feeling more fatigued during the day, individuals with CRF may also find a given physical task harder, more strenuous, and more fatiguing. We think the experience of fatigue may be related to the way our brain processes information coming from our senses. We will therefore also test ability to process information coming (1) from ears (audition) and skin (sense of warmth) – our ability to sense our external world (=exteroception); (2) from the muscles when lifting light weights to check sense of heaviness (=proprioception), and (3) from within the body (perception of heartbeats (=interoception). A comparison of the results between our two groups should enable us to see if individuals with CRF sense and interpret sensory information differently and whether this relates to their fatigue experienced at rest and during an exercise.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0246
Date of REC Opinion
12 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion