A study is investigating why many breast cancer patients suffer long-term exhaustion after treatment.
The University of Brighton's research focuses on cancer-related fatigue (CRF), which affects up to 90 per cent of patients during therapy and significantly impacts mental health, physical activity and work life.
Many survivors experience this exhaustion for months or years post-treatment.
The biological causes of CRF remain largely unknown.
The researchers are questioning whether cancer and its treatments alter how the brain perceives body signals, leading to heightened fatigue.
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Dr Jeanne Dekerle, principal investigator, said: "Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most distressing, frustrating and least understood side effects of cancer treatment.
"We want to understand why it affects some patients more than others, and how this influences their ability to be active.
"If we can understand the brain’s role in fatigue, we can help people recover faster, feel more energetic and live more fully after cancer."
The study will involve around 80 women aged 18 to 60, divided into groups of breast cancer survivors with fatigue and healthy women of a similar age.
The aim is to discern if those with CRF perceive body signals differently.
The team hopes their findings will guide future personalised treatments and exercise programs.
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