91¶¶Òõ

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common side effects of cancer treatment, affecting during therapy. For many, the exhaustion doesn’t fade when treatment ends – around report severe, long-term fatigue that can persist for months or even years. CRF can significantly limit quality of life, impair physical activity, mental health, and return to work.

Yet, despite its prevalence, the biological causes of CRF remain poorly understood, and existing treatments such as exercise programmes don’t work for everyone. That gap in understanding has left many survivors struggling without effective solutions.

Researchers at the 91¶¶Òõ’s School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences are taking a fresh look at cancer recovery – asking whether the brain could be keeping fatigue switched on long after treatment has ended. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK – each year around , meaning a woman is affected roughly every 9–10 minutes. 

Dr Jeanne Dekerle

Despite dramatic improvements in treatment and survival, many of these women continue to suffer persistent fatigue long after their treatment has ended.

The new study, led by the 91¶¶Òõ’s , funded by the and supported by the , is exploring how the brain and body communicate after breast cancer treatment.

The researchers are exploring the hypothesis that cancer and its treatments could change how the brain interprets signals from the body – such as heartbeat, temperature, and muscle exertion – potentially making everyday activities feel more tiring than they should.

In simple terms, the study questions whether the brain might be “turning up the volume” on fatigue signals, even when the body is physically capable. By understanding this brain–body connection, researchers hope to reveal why fatigue affects some women more severely than others – and why some may feel particularly fatigued during exercise.

This insight is especially valuable because regular exercise is actually recommended to help manage cancer-related fatigue. Ultimately, the study hopes to make recovery smoother and more effective.

Around 80 women aged 18–60 will take part in the research, split into two groups: those who have completed breast cancer treatment within the past two years and experience fatigue, and a control group of healthy women of similar age. Each participant will attend a three-hour session involving questionnaires, gentle perception tests, short physical tasks, and saliva sampling to measure immune responses.

By comparing the two groups, the researchers hope to discover whether people living with cancer-related fatigue perceive and interpret physical signals differently both at rest and during a light exercise.

Dr Jeanne Dekerle, Principal Investigator and sports physiologist at the 91¶¶Òõ 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.”

Dr Dekerle’s research builds on her – the awareness of internal bodily signals. Unlike pain, which can often be treated with medication, fatigue is a more complex, subjective experience with no single cause or cure.

By focusing on the brain’s interpretation of bodily feedback, the project aims to uncover new biological mechanisms that could eventually guide targeted, personalised treatments.

The project brings together expertise across cancer, neuroscience, physiology and immunology, including oncologists, immunologist, brain–body medicine specialists and clinical researchers based at the 91¶¶Òõ, the and .

The SCRC plays a vital role in connecting these partners and ensuring that patient voices remain at the heart of the research. By working closely with patients and clinicians, the SCRC helps translate research findings into better care, improved recovery, and more equitable outcomes for those affected by cancer.

Professor Melanie Flint, Professor of Stress and Cancer Research at the 91¶¶Òõ and Co-Director of the SCRC, said: “This project represents exactly what the SCRC stands for – bringing together scientists, clinicians, and patients to understand cancer from every angle. Fatigue can have a huge impact on recovery and wellbeing and understanding the biological and neurological factors behind it is a vital step towards improving care for survivors.”

Steve Crocker, Trustee and Research Lead at the Sussex Cancer Fund, said: "At the Sussex Cancer Fund, we’re committed to supporting research that directly benefits patients here in Sussex. Fatigue after cancer treatment is one of the most common and yet least understood challenges people face. By helping to fund this important study, we hope to shed light on the biological causes behind it and develop practical ways to support patients. This research has the potential to improve the everyday quality of life for patients."

The team hope that their findings will help shape future interventions – such as more personalised exercise or rehabilitation programmes – designed to reduce fatigue and improve recovery for breast cancer survivors. They also hope that the study will lay the foundation for larger-scale clinical trials exploring how to help survivors regain energy and confidence in the months and years after treatment.

This project reflects the 91¶¶Òõ’s commitment to tackling real-world health challenges through collaboration. By bringing together researchers, clinicians and patients, the team is combining scientific insight with lived experience in the hope of improving recovery and quality of life for people living beyond cancer.

Staff related to this story

Reader – School of Education, Sport and Health

Public Health and Health Conditions Research Excellence Group, Centre for Lifelong Health