Background: Oral cavity cancer is one of the most common malignancies in developing countries, including India. Although advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have improved survival rates, patients frequently experience long-term complications such as cancer-related fatigue (CRF), oral dysfunction, and reduced quality of life (QOL). CRF is one of the most distressing yet under-recognized symptoms affecting oral cancer patients during and after treatment.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of fatigue in oral cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to evaluate its correlation with quality of life.

Methods: An observational study was conducted over six months at the cancer ward of SJS Hospital, Kopargaon. A total of 123 oral cancer patients aged 18 years and above were recruited using a convenient sampling method. Fatigue was assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), quality of life was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire, and oral airway assessment was performed using the Mallampati score. Descriptive statistics and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests were applied for data analysis.

Results: Among the participants, 50.8% reported mild fatigue, 36.1% moderate fatigue, and 13.1% severe fatigue. The distribution of fatigue severity was statistically significant (χ² = 26.4, p < 0.01). Mallampati score assessment showed that 43.4% of patients belonged to Class III, followed by 38.5% in Class II, indicating compromised oral and airway conditions in a substantial proportion of patients.