Servaes, P, van der Werf, S, Prins, J et al. · Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2001 · DOI
This study compared fatigue in cancer survivors who had finished treatment with fatigue in people with ME/CFS. About one in five cancer survivors (19%) experienced severe fatigue similar to ME/CFS patients, even though they had been cancer-free for at least 6 months. The severely fatigued cancer survivors also reported concentration problems, reduced activity, emotional difficulties, and pain.
This study demonstrates that severe, persistent fatigue affects a substantial minority of cancer survivors with a symptom profile resembling ME/CFS, highlighting that post-treatment fatigue is a distinct clinical entity warranting investigation. Understanding fatigue in cancer survivors may provide insights into ME/CFS pathophysiology and validate that severe fatigue causes significant functional impairment across different disease populations.
This study does not establish causality or identify mechanisms underlying fatigue in either population. The small CFS comparison group (n=16) and lack of longitudinal follow-up limit conclusions about fatigue trajectory. Cross-sectional design cannot distinguish whether observed correlations (depression, anxiety, reduced activity) are causes or consequences of fatigue.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Servaes, P, van der Werf, S, Prins, J, Verhagen, S, & Bleijenberg, G (2001). Fatigue in disease-free cancer patients compared with fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s005200000165
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-servaes-2001-fatigue-disease,
author = {Servaes, P and van der Werf, S and Prins, J and Verhagen, S and Bleijenberg, G},
title = {Fatigue in disease-free cancer patients compared with fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1007/s005200000165},
note = {PubMed: 11147137},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/servaes-2001-fatigue-disease},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/servaes-2001-fatigue-disease
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