Comparative Analysis of the Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairments in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Community-Based Research

Cancer Invest. 2022 Oct;40(9):811-821. doi: 10.1080/07357907.2022.2106489. Epub 2022 Aug 8.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two common chemotherapy regimens on breast cancer (BC) survivors' cognition. The participants comprised 35 patients with BC who underwent two chemotherapy regimens, AC-T and TAC, and 24 matched healthy volunteers. The participants were assessed regarding cognitive function through Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination and Cambridge Brain Science tests. The results represent the AC-T regimen to be more toxic than the TAC in domains of language, concentration, and visuospatial working memory (P-value = 0.036, 0.008, and 0.031, respectively) and should be prescribed with caution in patients with BC suffering from baseline cognitive impairments.

Keywords: Breast cancer; attention; cancer related cognitive impairment (CRCI); cognitive impairment; visuospatial working memory.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment*
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / chemically induced
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neuropsychological Tests