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Chemotherapy can result in insomnia
01 Dec 2009
Insomnia occurs in approximately three-quarters of cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy.
This is according to researchers at University of Rochester Medical Center, US, who revealed that this form of insomnia can become chronic, negatively impacting a patient's ability to recover fully.
During a study of 823 cancer patients, it was revealed that sleep troubles occurred at nearly three times the rate of the general population.
Study author Dr Oxana Palesh said that, because the numbers are so high, they cannot be ignored.
"The good news is that insomnia is a very treatable problem that can be addressed quickly so it doesn't compound other symptoms."
Some 37 per cent of patients suffered from insomnia symptoms, while a further 43 per cent had insomnia syndrome, with these patients having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep at least three days a week.
Elsewhere, insomnia tends to be more common in people aged 60 and over, females and those with a history of depression.
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