Effect of methylphenidate on fatigue in women with recurrent gynecologic cancer.

Objective: Fatigue is the most common and often the most bothersome complaint of individuals who are treated for cancer. One intervention now commonly suggested to treat fatigue is the use of psychostimulant medication. Early studies indicate some success in individuals with a mixed cancer diagnoses. This study evaluates the effect of methylphenidate on fatigue in women with recurrent gynecologic cancer.

Method: Thirty-two women treated for recurrent gynecologic cancer were prescribed methylphenidate at morning and noon over a 8-week period. Participants completed the Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI) along with assessments of quality of life and mood at baseline, week 2, 4 and 8 to determine changes in levels of fatigue experienced.

Results: Patients reported significant declines in fatigue (p=0.0001), and improvement in both mood (p=0.0020) and quality of life (p=0.0351) when comparing baseline scores to study end.

Conclusions: This study provides support for the use of a psychostimulant to treat fatigue in women who have recurrent gynecologic cancer. It is particularly relevant for these patients with incurable disease who are facing the end of life.