Perceived Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Survivors and Its Relationships with Psychological Factors

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2020 Oct 21

PMID 33081111

Citations 25

Authors

Clemence Boscher

Florence Joly

Benedicte Clarisse

Xavier Humbert

Jean-Michel Grellard

Giulia Binarelli

Laure Tron

Idlir Licaj

Marie Lange

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cognitive complaints are common adverse effects in cancer patients. Identifying subjects at risk could make it possible to limit their impact. We aimed to explore the relationship between current cognitive complaints and demographic and psychological factors in a group of breast cancer survivors. Through an online survey, cancer survivors reported current cognitive complaints using the FACT-Cog questionnaire (Perceived Cognitive Impairment) and answered questions about their demographics, lifestyle and cancer-related characteristics. Anxiety, depression, fatigue and post-traumatic stress symptoms were also assessed. We used multivariable logistic regression models to explore the relationships between current cognitive complaints and social and psychological factors. Among the 1393 breast cancer survivors, 47.2% ( = 657) reported current cognitive complaints. Chemotherapy (OR = 2.26, 95%CI = 1.67-3.05), age (OR = 0.14, 95%CI = 0.07-0.27), sleep difficulties (OR = 2.41, 95%CI = 1.47-3.95), frequency of psychotropic treatments (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.23-2.36), post-traumatic stress symptoms (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.57-2.69) and employment status (OR = 1.64, 95%CI = 1.08-2.49) were strongly associated with current cognitive complaints. In this large study, about half of breast cancer survivors reported cognitive complaints, particularly after chemotherapy. Some risk factors should be detected early to reduce persistent cognitive complaints after cancer: mainly sleep difficulties, post-traumatic stress symptoms and psychotropic medications.

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