Cognitive function, fatigue, and menopausal symptoms in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: evaluation with patient interview after formal assessment

Abstract

Women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer have substantial problems with fatigue, menopausal symptoms and cognitive changes. Formal tests such as the HSCS may fail to adequately capture the perceived impact of symptoms.

Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment: The Breast Cancer Experience

“…Participants who took part in the studies by Tchen et al and Mar Fan et al (described above) also had the opportunity to participate in semi-structured interviews performed to gather descriptive information about the symptoms and subsequent meaning and impact on participants' day-to-day lives (Downie, Mar Fan, Houede-Tchen, Yi, & Tannock, 2006).…”

Cognitive Intervention for Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Chemotherapy

“…[10][11][12][13] Thus, it is possible that breast cancer patients are sensitive to subtle changes in cognitive function that current neuropsychological test employed are unable to detect 1 or that neuropsychological tests may not equate with everyday cognitive problems. 3 There is moderate evidence that self-reported cognitive problems are more likely to be associated with emotional distress, depression and fatigue than with neuropsychological functioning. 14 These psychological factors are also reported to be associated with poor work ability.…”

“…1 Although recent evidence suggest that the effect sizes for neuropsychological tests are modest 2 and within the average range of functioning, cognitive problems can have a profound effect on patients" lives. Studies suggest that cognitive difficulties not only affect women functioning at home; 3 but also impact on their quality of life and emotional well-being. 4,5 In particular, problems with memory and executive functioning (assessed by neuropsychological tests) have been associated with selfreported fatigue, depression and cognitive confusion.…”

Environmental pollutants, diet, physical activity, body size, and breast cancer

“…8 Furthermore, although we hope and expect that breast cancer survival will continue to improve, treatment is likely to remain arduous and debilitating for the foreseeable future, with potential adverse effects on cardiovascular health, secondary cancers, physical mobility, cognition, sexuality, and social factors. [9][10][11][12] Financial costs of treatment are substantial, amounting to $8.1 billion in the US in 2004 according to the National Cancer Institute. 13 In this context, the breast cancer advocacy community has called for greater attention to research into breast cancer prevention as a major public health priority alongside screening and treatment.…”