Asian Oncol Nurs.  2012 Feb;12(1):1-11. 10.5388/aon.2012.12.1.1.

Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy

• Kim KH
• Chung BY
• Kim GD
• Byun HS
• Choi EH
• Cho EJ

• KMID: 2269491
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2012.12.1.1

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study reviewed articles related to breast cancer, cognitive function and chemotherapy available in 4 databases.
METHODS
The researcher reviewed 32 pieces of literature that were published between January 2001 and November 2011.
RESULTS
Within the last decade, several studies have investigated whether adjuvant treatment of breast cancer affects cognitive function. A number of prospective studies have reported inconsistent results regarding whether chemotherapy affects cognitive function. Approximately half of the studies reported subtle cognitive decline in a wide range of domains among some breast cancer patients following chemotherapy, and others did not.
CONCLUSION
Breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy showed the most deterioration and the most persistent decline in cognitive function. Since cognitive impairment is subtle, if evident at all, discrepant findings are due to hormonal, physiological, psychological or temporal confounding variables and differences in study design. Especially, that chemotherapy may impair memory, executive function, attention and visuospatial function in women with breast cancer.

Keyword

Breast neoplasms; Cognition; Drug Therapy

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
Cognition
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)
Executive Function
Female
Humans
Memory