The Relationship between Fatigue and Cytokine Levels in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a very prominent complaint and disabling symptom in cancer patients probably influenced by endogenous cytokines. But, the published data on this subject are limited. We explored the relationship of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) with fatigue in patients with AML. This study was performed on 45 patients (25 men, 20 women) with newly diagnosed AML. We examined fatigue in these patients with validated questionnaire. Simultaneously, blood samples were obtained for quantitative measurement of IL-6 and TNF-α. Our results showed a positive correlation between fatigue and circulating levels of IL-6 (P=0.004, R=0.416). Many patients with AML experienced severe fatigue before the onset of treatment, which is not related to their hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Cytokine levels may be beneficial markers in resistance to fatigue, but further studies are needed before considering targeted therapies as a treatment for CRF.