Extreme and recurrent tiredness is one of the common symptoms of most types of cancers. Tiredness is usually considered a warning sign of cancer progressing. Tiredness related to cancers usually does not get better with adequate rest or sleep. Patients may appear exhausted with very minimal activity.
- A cancer cell usually steals calories and robs normal cells of vital nutrients that by itself may lead to tiredness. Patients might not be eating as well as they normally would, depriving cells of vital nutrients that the body needs to function normally.
- In bone marrow cancer, cancer cells may interfere with the normal production of blood cells leading to anemia and tiredness.
- Likewise in cancers related to the stomach, intestine cancers usually cause tiredness because of blood loss.
- Cancers of the prostate and breast interfere with metabolic and hormonal processes causing extreme tiredness in the patient.
- All cancers produce a high amount of cytokines that are natural cell proteins that are normally released by the white blood cells in response to infection. High amounts of these cytokines can be toxic and lead to persistent tiredness.
- Some aggressive cancers may cause swelling in certain parts of the body, making limbs heavier and harder to move contributing to tiredness overall.
- Cancer of the lung may also cause tiredness and breathlessness.
Do cancer treatments cause tiredness?
Unfortunately, yes. Tiredness is usually a side effect of all the cancer treatments. Cancer treatments include:
- Cancer medications: Most and even standard cancer medications that are usually prescribed to target cancer may lead to recurrent tiredness in the patients.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy usually leaves the body depleted of energy even after the therapy. Tiredness and exhaustion are one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy: This treatment causes a serious sense of tiredness that typically lasts three to four weeks beyond the treatment. That isn’t always the case though. Sometimes, it will last for up to three months once the treatment ends.
- Surgery: Surgery may leave the body facing mild, moderate, or even severe exhaustion as patients recover. Many cancers require surgery to attack cancer directly, remove tumors, and prevent the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. Surgeries vary in complexity and impact on the body, and every patient is different.
- Targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy: Generalized tiredness is usually the side effect of targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy. Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences in cancer cells that help them to grow and survive. Immunotherapy usually uses the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
- Hormone treatment: Hormone treatment can cause tiredness because it blocks or lowers the number of hormones in the body. This treatment may be usually used in breast or prostate cancer.
- Cancer-related fatigue after bone marrow transplant: It may last for up to one year after the procedure.
How can a patient manage cancer-related tiredness?
Patients with cancers and those who are on cancer treatment may need to make a few lifestyle changes to cope up with side effects such as tiredness.
- Physical activity: Staying or becoming physically active can help relieve fatigue. The type and level of physical activity may change during and after cancer treatment. Some people may benefit from working with a physical therapist. Doctors may usually discuss with patients how to be physically fit during and after cancer treatments.
- Counseling: Behavioral therapy may help patients to cope up with tiredness. It usually helps patients by reframing thoughts and improving sleep during cancer treatment.
- Stress relievers: Evidence suggests that mindfulness practices, yoga, massages, music therapy, meditation, and acupuncture may reduce tiredness in cancer survivors.
- Diet: Doctors usually prescribe a healthy diet that includes nutrients and vitamins. Alternatively, few supplements may also be prescribed.
SLIDESHOW
Skin Cancer Symptoms, Types, Images See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
References
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5230-cancer-fatigue#:
Coping up with cancer: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/fatigue/what-is-cancer-fatigue
Coping up with cancer: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/fatigue/what-is-cancer-fatigue
Complete List
Top What Type of Cancer Makes You Very Tired? Related Articles
Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is rare cancer that affects the adrenal glands located on the top of the kidneys. Adrenal glands are one of the endocrine glands that produce cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline hormones, which regulate the body's most important functions. Adrenal cancer or adrenocortical carcinoma commonly affects children (aged younger than five years) and middle-aged adults (aged 40 to 50 years). Women are at a higher risk than men.
Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood cells that mainly affects a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. ALL commonly affects young children, but some adults may also get this type of cancer. However, ALL in adults is rare and is one of the most challenging cancers when it comes to treatment. ALL Starts in the bone marrow, progresses rapidly, and needs immediate treatment because it can be fatal if untreated.
Arzerra (ofatumumab)
Arzerra (ofatumumab) Injection is a monoclonal antibody used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Common side effects of Arzerra include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tiredness, swelling of hands/ankles/feet, trouble sleeping, skin rash, or cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, and sore throat. Arzerra decreases bone marrow function, which can cause anemia.
Cancer
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Cancer 101 Slideshow
Learn the basics about cancer including types, causes, how it spreads, symptoms and signs, stages and treatment options. Read about the common type of cancers.
Cancer Risk Factors and Causes
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Cancer Quiz
Take this quiz to learn the causes of cancer. Get the facts about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for the world's most common cancers.denosumab
Denosumab is a lab-made human monoclonal immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) antibody medication used to reduce bone loss in patients at high risk for bone fractures due to postmenopausal osteoporosis, cancers or other conditions. Do not take if pregnant or breastfeeding. Common side effects of Prolia include back pain, pain in the extremities, musculoskeletal pain, sciatica, bone pain, joint pain (arthralgia), and others. Common side effects of Xgeva fatigue, weakness (asthenia), low blood phosphate levels (hypophosphatemia), low blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia), nausea, diarrhea, and others.iobenguane I 123
Iobenguane I 123 is a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical agent used as an adjunct to other tests to detect primary or metastatic pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma, types of tumors that secrete the hormones (catecholamines) epinephrine and norepinephrine, and to evaluate heart function in patients with congestive heart failure. Common side effects of iobenguane I 123 include injection site reactions, dizziness, flushing, skin rash, itching (pruritus), headache, transient high blood pressure (hypertension), and hypersensitivity reactions (rare).
Is Cancer Contagious?
Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. A variety of parasites and viruses have been linked to various cancers. Cancer may metastasize, spreading from its original location to other organs. If you have cancer, you should seek medical care immediately if you experience high fever, shortness of breath, intense headaches, vomiting blood or passing blood rectally, chest pain or moderate to severe weakness, passing out (fainting), mental status changes, or seizures.
Is GCT Cancerous?
Giant cell tumors (GCTs) are benign (noncancerous) tumors that most commonly occur in the bones of the arms and legs. These tumors are also called osteoblastoma or giant cell reparative granuloma. They can cause problems if they grow or spread to other parts of the body. In some cases, GCTs may recur after treatment, and there is a small risk of GCTs transforming into cancerous tumors.lycopene
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges the free radicals. Used as a supplement, lycopene may prevent the growth of cancer cells. Lycopene may slow down blood clotting. Exercise caution with lycopene supplements if you are taking blood thinners. The side effects of lycopene include skin rashes (rare). Lycopene is considered nontoxic and is unlikely to cause any serious adverse effects. Small amounts of lycopene in food is likely safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Cancer: Symptoms of Common Cancers in Men
Can men get breast cancer? Cancer symptoms men need to watch out for include skin changes, difficulty swallowing, rapid weight loss, a breast mass, and more. Learn possible clues to finding and detecting cancer early.Neulasta (pegfilgrastim)
Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) is a colony-stimulating factor, a man-made form of a protein that stimulates the growth of white blood cells, used to decrease the incidence of infection, by treating neutropenia, a lack of certain white blood cells caused by receiving cancer chemotherapy. Common side effects of Neulasta include bone pain, pain in your arms or legs, or injection site reactions (bruising, swelling, pain, redness, or a hard lump).Targeted Therapy: What Is Oncogenic Addiction in Cancer Cells?
Targeted therapy for cancers with oncogenic addiction aims to stop the mutated "oncogene" that fuels the tumor. Research indicates that cancer cells may rely more heavily on oncogenic mutations that originally gave rise to the particular cancer, rather than other reasons for their growth. Such cancers have an oncogenic addiction because they mainly depend on that oncogene’s continued activity for survival.Targeted Therapy: What Is Replicative Immortality in Cancer?
Some targeted cancer therapies aim to stop replicative immortality in malignant tumor cells. Normal human cells can grow and divide only a limited number of times, and undergo planned death (apoptosis) when they become old, damaged, or no longer needed. Cancer cells, due to genetic mutations which enable them to progress through the cell cycle despite DNA damage, replicate infinitely and evade apoptosis. They achieve replicative immortality (until the host dies).Temodar (temozolomide)
Temodar (temozolomide) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with certain brain cancer tumors. Temodar blocks cell growth, especially cells that grow fast, such as cancer cells. Temodar may decrease the size of certain brain tumors in some patients. Serious side effects of Temodar include decreased blood cells.Zejula (niraparib)
Zejula is a prescription medicine used for the maintenance treatment of adults with ovarian cancer and advanced ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer. The most common side effects of Zejula include heart not beating regularly, changes in liver function or other blood tests, nausea, pain in your joints, muscles, and back; constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, pain in the stomach area, change in the way food tastes, mouth sores, trouble sleeping, diarrhea, and others. anxiety