Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine changes in fatigue and exercise tolerance after discharge in strong and weak groups with gastrointestinal cancer. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 51 patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) were evaluated before surgery, after surgery, and after discharge. The subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of CFS score: 19 or over, strong group, and less than 19, weak group. This retrospective study considered changes in CFS and 6MWD differences between the two groups at the three time points. [Results] CFS showed interaction and a main effect, while 6MWD showed a main effect between the groups. The CFS of the weak group gradually decreased. However, the CFS of the strong group was continuously high from before surgery. [Conclusion] The results suggest that patients who show fatigue after discharge always show fatigue because of low exercise tolerance.
