Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy are at risk for mild cognitive deficits – including problems choosing words and “spatial skills” difficulties, such as getting lost more easily – new research shows.
The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center, are based on a large analysis of studies of cancer treatment’s impacts on women’s cognitive functioning.
On average, the analysis found cognitive deficits are slight and limited, and vary widely, with some reporting no impairments and others reporting more severe or pervasive deficits.
"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 six months previously," said lead researcher Heather S.L. Jim. "Earlier studies had reported conflicting evidence on the severity of cognitive deficits, especially over the long term."
For the study, Jim and her team analyzed 17 studies involving 800 breast cancer patients treated with chemo.
"Our analysis indicated that patients previously treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of verbal ability than individuals without cancer," noted co-author Paul B. Jacobsen. "In addition, patients treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of visuospatial ability than patients who had not had chemotherapy."
The was funded, in part, by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.