Cancer Related Fatigue: Symptoms, Causes, and Mangement Topic Guide

Bladder cancer originates within the bladder, and may have several different causes, including smoking, workplace chemical exposures, diet, and the herb Aristolochia fangchi. Though there are several types of bladder cancer, cancer is most likey to develop in the interior lining of the bladder. Treatment includes a variety of options, including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and biological therapy.

Bone cancer is a malignant bone tumor. There are several types of bone cancer, including osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma,  chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma, and chordoma. Symptoms and signs include pain, fracture, a lump or mass over the bone, fever, chills, anemia, and weight loss. Advancements in early diagnosis and treatment options have improved bone cancer prognosis. Though treatment for bone cancer depends upon the tumor location, cancer stage, and type of cancer, treatment usually includes surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy.

The most common symptom of bone cancer is pain, and it tends to worsen over time. Fever, chills, and night sweats can also occur, as well as a weakening of bone leading to a fracture. Certain blood tests and imaging are used to diagnose bone cancer.

Brain cancer may develop in primary brain cells, in cells that form other brain components, or from the growth of cancer cells in other parts of the body that have spread to the brain. Symptoms include headache, seizures, weakness, and nausea and vomiting. Treatment depends upon the patient's age, overall health, and the size, type, location, and grade of the tumor.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in women. Symptoms and signs of breast cancer include breast lumps, nipple discharge or inversion, or changes in the breast's skin. Treatment typically involves some type of surgery and depends upon the staging of the cancer, the tumor type, and the person's health.

Cancer of the mouth and throat may look like an ulcer or a sore on the tongue, lips, inside lining of the cheeks, and other structures. Tobacco use, sun exposure, and human papillomavirus (HPV) are just some risk factors for mouth and throat cancer. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy. The prognosis of mouth and throat cancer depends on many factors.

The small intestine is located between the stomach and the large intestine (colon). It can be affected by several different types of cancerous or malignant tumors: adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, sarcomas, and carcinoid tumors. Treatment includes radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.

Cancer is a common and deadly disease, and it's surrounded by myths. There are certain basics a patient needs to know when they're confronted with a cancer diagnosis; everything from clinical facts and practices to learning how to navigate the health insurance bureaucracy.

Cervical cancer can be cured if it is detected and treated early. Risk factors for cervical cancer include HPV infection, smoking, oral contraceptive use, and having a weakened immune system. Treatment for cervical cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

Chemotherapy or "chemo" is a treatment for cancer. Depending on the type of cancer an individual has, it can cure cancer, control cancer. or ease cancer symptoms. There are a variety of cancer drugs. There are a number of support groups to assist chemotherapy patients gain the help they need to move through this very trying treatment.

The human colon is a muscular, tube-shaped organ measuring about 4 feet long. It extends from the end of your small bowel to your anus. Most colon cancers start as adenomatous polyps that turn into adenocarcinomas. Colon cancer (bowel cancer) is typically diagnosed through a colonoscopy or other type of endoscopic procedures. Treatment methods include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Genetic tests can determine the risk of colon cancer in people who have a history of the disease in their family; there are specific gene mutations researchers have discovered. Unfortunately, this is only helpful to a minority of patients because familial colon cancer comprises only about five percent of colon cancer cases.

Most symptoms and signs of cancer may also be explained by harmless conditions, so it's important to limit one's risk factors and undergo appropriate cancer screening. Common cancer symptoms and signs are a change in bowel habits or urination, persistent cough, blood in the stool, urine, or saliva, lump in the breast or testicle, hoarseness, swollen glands, a change in a wart or mole, unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, and headaches.

Pancreatic cancer is rare, but it is possible to treat it with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Still, success rates for any treatment are under 30 percent.

Uterine (endometrial) cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the U.S. Read about staging, symptoms, prognosis, risk factors and treatment. Treatment may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

Two types of tumors affect the esophagus: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Symptoms of esophageal cancer include difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), weight loss, central chest pain, pain upon swallowing, vomiting, chronic cough, and symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding. Esophageal cancer is treated by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

Exercise has been shown to reduce one's risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce depression and anxiety. The Surgeon General recommends accumulating 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis.

Fatigue is a common health complaint by individuals. Fatigue is also referred to as feeling weary, tired, exhausted, lethargic, and a lack of energy. There are several causes of fatigue from sleep disturbances to some diseases or conditions. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease causing fatigue.

Hot flashes and night sweats may be side effects of cancer or its treatment. In patients with cancer, hot flashes and night sweats may be caused by the tumor, its treatment, or other conditions.

Liver cancer is hard to diagnose as symptoms and signs are vague and nonspecific. Symptoms and signs may include weakness, fatigue, weight loss, or appetite loss. Treatment may incorporate surgery, liver transplantation, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. Symptoms and signs include coughing up blood, chest pain, wheezing, and chronic respiratory infections. Treatment depends upon the tumor stage, type of lung cancer, and the patient's overall physical condition.

Medical therapy options for lung cancer include surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. There are many types of chemotherapy drugs used for lung cancer, whether to help prevent relapse or for potentially life-prolonging palliative care.

Nausea and vomiting are serious side effects of cancer therapy. It is important that nausea and vomiting are controlled so that the patient can continue treatment and have a better quality of life. Different types of nausea and vomiting are caused by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other conditions.

Non-small-cell lung cancer is one of two types of lung cancer. Non-small-cell lung cancer symptoms and signs include coughing, shortness of breath, spitting blood, chest pain, pneumonia, and other respiratory symptoms. Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. The prognosis and life expectancy are good if the disease is caught in the early stages.

Oropharyngeal cancer is cancer of the mouth and throat, mostly caused by exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV) or smoking and drinking. Treatment includes: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Neuroblastoma is a type of a cancer that most commonly originates in the nerve tissue of the adrenal gland. Neuroblastomas also may occur in the nerve tissue of the chest, neck, pelvis, or abdomen. Neuroblastoma can spread to other parts of the body, for example, the liver, skin, or bones. Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer in infants younger than one year of age. It is diagnosed in about 650 children each year in the US.Signs and symptoms of neurblastoma are: Weight loss Diarrhea Loss of appetite Pain Fatigue Fever Irritability Other signs and symptoms are more specific to the location of the cancer, and may include: Abdominal swelling Difficulty breathing Horner syndrome Bone pain Bruises Pale skin Dark circles around the eyes Weakness, numbness, or paralysis in the legs or arms Bluish or purplish bumps that look like blueberries Severe, watery diarrhea Jerky muscle movements Uncontrolled eye movements This type of cancer also can cause other signs and symptoms that are caused by hormones released from the tumors, and may includ Rapid heartbeat Flushing Sweating High blood pressure There are four stages for neurblastoma, which are based on risk groups.

Ovarian cancer occurs when tumors in the female reproductive organs, the ovaries, grow out of control. Doctors aren't sure what causes ovarian cancer, but heredity plays a role. Symptoms include: Pelvic pain or pressure, Pain with intercourse, Abdominal swelling and bloating, Urinary frequency, Constipation, Ascites (collection of fluid in the abdomen), Loss of appetite, Feeling full after eating little, Gas and/or diarrhea, Nausea and vomiting, and Abnormalities in menstruation. Treatment may include surgery followed by chemotherapy.

Ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer are diseases in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissue covering the ovary or lining the fallopian tube or peritoneum. Sometimes surgery to remove the ovaries can prevent these types of cancers in women who are genetically predisposed to them. Other preventative measures include: Maintaining a healthy weight, undergoing tubal ligation, taking oral contraceptives (birth control), and breastfeeding.

There are few symptoms and signs of pancreatic cancer in the early stages, which causes this disease to have especially low survival rates. Treatments for pancreatic cancer include: different types of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, biologic therapy or targeted therapy.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers, one of the most non-responsive to treatment, and one of the hardest to diagnose; in one recent year, 84 % of those diagnosed in the U.S. died of the disease. It affects the pancreas, which is a crucial abdominal organ that produces insulin to maintain blood sugar, and it performs other functions crucial to digestion and metabolism.

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms. Screening includes a digital rectal examination, PSA, and urinalysis. Treatment depends upon age, the patient's medical condition, and whether the tumor has metastasized. Risk factors for prostate cancer include advanced age, race, family history, infection with STDs, high-fat diet, and chemical exposure.

The rectum is the lower part of the colon that connects the large bowel to the anus. The rectum's primary function is to store formed stool in preparation for evacuation. Rectal cancer symptoms and signs include bleeding, bowel obstruction, weight loss, change in bowel habits, constipation, narrow stools, and pain during bowel movements. Treatment may involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

The kidneys, which filter excess water and waste from the blood, are susceptible to a number of different types of cancer, including renal cell cancer. This renal carcinoma develops in the small tubes in the kidneys' filtering system. Renal cell cancer may have a variety of environmental or hereditary causes, including smoking, obesity, occupational hazards and others. Renal cell cancer does not typically present symptoms early on, but symptoms include pain, blood in the urine, fatigue, malaise, night sweats, fevers and others.

Skin cancer, the most common cancer, happens when skin cells start growing out of control, usually as a result of too much ultraviolet light exposure from the sun or tanning booths. Of the three types of skin cancer -- basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma -- melanoma is the deadliest. Surgery is the most common treatment for skin cancer.

Sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which a person can be aroused. In this state, the brain is relatively more responsive to internal stimuli than external stimuli. Sleep deprivation has many deleterious effects on the body. Sleep apnea and sleep paralysis are two common kinds of sleep disorders. Several activities can help one to fall asleep fast.

A person's circadian rhythm is an internal biological clock that regulates a variety of biological processes according to an approximate 24-hour period. A disorder of the circadian rhythm may cause sleeplessness on at transient or chronic basis. The disorder can be caused by air travel across time zones, shift work, irregular sleep-wake cycle, delayed sleep phase syndrome, and advanced sleep-phase syndrome.

When cells of the lung start growing rapidly in an uncontrolled manner, the condition is called lung cancer. Lung cancer can affect any part of the lung. Small-cell lung cancer is one of two major types of lung cancer, the other being non-small-cell lung cancer.

Stomach cancer is found in the upper digestive tract and usually begins in the lining of the stomach organ. Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of stomach cancer, and this kind of cancer tends to spread or metastasize into the adjoining tissues and organs. Risk factors include: Smoking, a diet low in fruit and vegetables, being male, a diet high in smoked and processed meats, and a prior diagnosis of pernicious anemia Treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Everyone is familiar with stress. We experience it in varying forms and degrees every day. In small doses, stress can actually be beneficial to us. Stress symptoms include anxiety, distraction, nervousness, internal pressure, and irritability. The first step in managing stress is to identify the cause.

Testicular cancer is a cancer of the male sex organs essential for producing testosterone, libido and other crucial functions. Cancer is usually in only one testicle, the tumor is malignant if it begins to subsume the healthy tissue. Malignant testicular tumors can metastasize to other organs. Testicular cancer is a rare cancer with a high cure rate.

Find out more about thyroid cancer's symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors. The main types of thyroid cancer include papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, medullary carcinoma, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Treatment for thyroid cancer depends on the type of thyroid cancer. Classifications include: Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer Medullary thyroid Cancer, and Anaplastic thyroid cancer. Treatment may include: thyroidectomy surgery (either partial or total), radioactive iodine treatment, chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapy.

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that the body needs, and it plays a keyrole in making collagen. Vitamin C also is an antioxident. Researchers have studied high-dose vitamin C as a complementary treatment therapy for cancer patients since the 1970s. Both preclinical (laboratory or animal) and clinical trials have been conducted using high-dose vitamin C in cancer treatment. The benefits of high-dose vitamin C have shown include: Slowed or blocking the growth and spread of certain types of cancer cells Improved quality of life Improved physical, mental, and emotional functions Reduced symptoms of fatigue, pain, loss of appetite, and nausea and vomiting. High-dose vitamin C is usually given intravenously (IV). The FDA has not approved high-dose vitamin C for treatment in cancer or other conditions.

Yoga is the systematic practice of physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, diet control, and positive thinking and meditation aimed at developing harmony in the body, mind, and environment. Yoga produces a union of body, mind, and energy to elicit calmness. Benefits of yoga include: improved flexibility, stress relief, and inner peace.

Yoga is a system of stretching and calesthenics based on ancient Indian practices. This form of exercise offers many health benefits, and there are a number of frequently asked questions about the practice of yoga.

There are many terms used in yoga. Learn about the most common terms, from "asana" to "yogi."