Background: Fatigue is an important symptom in cancer and has been shown to be associated with psychological distress.
Objective: This review assesses evidence regarding associations of cancer-related fatigue with depression and anxiety.
Method: Database searches yielded 59 studies reporting correlation coefficients or odds ratios.
Results: The combined sample size was 12,103. Almost all studies showed a correlation of fatigue with depression and with anxiety. However, 31 different instruments were used to assess fatigue, suggesting a lack of consensus on measurement.
Conclusion: This review confirms the association of fatigue with depression and anxiety. Directionality needs to be better delineated in longitudinal studies.