Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy are at risk for mild cognitive deficits following treatment, according to a large meta-analysis conducted by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center. Analysis showed that on average, study participants experienced mild impairments in verbal abilities and visuospatial abilities. Study authors stated that cognitive functioning varied across survivors. Some patients reported no impairments, and others reported more severe deficiencies.
“The objective of our analysis was to clarify existing research on cognitive functioning in patients who had received standard-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer at least 6 months previously,” said study lead author Heather S.L. Jim, PhD, an assistant member at Moffitt. “Earlier studies had reported conflicting evidence on the severity of cognitive deficits, especially over the long term.”
“Our analysis indicated that patients previously treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of verbal ability than individuals without cancer,” noted coauthor Paul B. Jacobsen, Moffitt senior member and associate center director of Population Sciences. “In addition, patients treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of visuospatial ability than patients who had not had chemotherapy.”
“Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy who have subsequent cognitive deficits should be referred to a neuropsychologist for evaluation and management of the deficits,” Jim said.
The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Source: Moffitt Cancer Center.