Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) among early-stage breast cancer survivors in Malaysia
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2021
Abstract
Introduction: Breast cancer survivors frequently develop cognitive impairment following chemotherapy which can significantly hamper their well-being, ability to function independently, and overall quality of life. Evidence of cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors from lower and middle-income countries remains scarce. We examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment among Malaysian multiethnic early-stage breast cancer survivors one to three years post-chemotherapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 160 breast cancer survivors from the University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC). The cognitive assessments used included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-BM), the Rey Auditory and Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT-BM), and the digit span and arithmetic of the Working Memory Index (WMI) of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV). Data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests and Pearson's correlation. Results: Our breast cancer survivors demonstrated poor performances in MoCA-BM (31.9%) RAVLT-BM, recall (53.8%), and WMI of WAIS-IV (51.3%) with 30.6% of them performed poorly in all three cognitive tests administered. There were no significant mean group differences in cognitive performances between Conclusions: A high proportion of breast cancer survivors exhibited poor performances in the cognitive assessments. Cognitive rehabilitation programmes tailored to the needs of these survivors should be incorporated into cancer care management.
Keywords
Breast cancer survivors, Cognition, Cognitive impairment, Chemotherapy, Neuropsychological testing
Divisions
fac_med
Publication Title
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
Volume
43
Issue
5
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Inc.
Publisher Location
530 WALNUT STREET, STE 850, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106 USA