Practical strategies for management of fatigue and sleep disorders in people with brain tumors

Fatigue and insomnia are common problems in the general population and in the patient population with primary brain tumors. Guidelines have been developed for the assessment and management of these complaints in the general population and those with other solid tumor malignancies. However, patients with primary brain tumors have not routinely been included in these descriptive studies or in RCT evaluating pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management. Given the impact of fatigue and insomnia on function and quality of life, focused studies are needed to explore the biologic basis of both fatigue and insomnia in this patient population. Greater insight into the underlying biologic mechanisms of these important symptoms will permit the development of specific interventions that may either prevent or treat these symptoms. © 2012 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved.