Overview

• Higher levels of TNF-α, sTNF-RII, and IL-6 were associated with greater general fatigue across the study period.
• Physical fatigue correlated with TNF-α, sTNF-RII, and CRP, indicating a relationship with systemic inflammatory activity.
• No significant associations were found between inflammatory markers and mental (cognitive) fatigue.
• Higher TNF-α and sTNF-RII were unexpectedly linked to lower reported emotional fatigue, a finding that requires replication.
• Associations persisted after adjustment for age, race, education, BMI, and cancer stage, and the peer-reviewed results were published Oct. 6, 2025 in CANCER, suggesting but not proving that inflammation-reducing interventions could target certain fatigue dimensions.