Assessment and management of fatigue in patients with advanced cancer: developing guidelines.

Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most important untreated symptoms of cancer, with a prevalence between 60 and 100%, but there has been a reluctance to prioritize fatigue and develop effective management strategies. The development of standards and guidelines will encourage a more systematic approach and help to stimulate further research. The Mersey Palliative Care Audit Group has developed guidelines for the assessment and management of fatigue. These guidelines were produced following a regional survey, which looked at both the educational needs of nurses, and the impact of fatigue on patients with advanced cancer.