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Mild cognitive impairment after adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients - evaluation of appropriate research design and methodology to measure symptoms

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Abstract

The development of new chemotherapeutic agents and regimens has contributed to reduced risk of cancer recurrence and prolonged patient survival. However, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also known as “chemofog” or “chemobrain” following adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer has been reported since the late 1980s. Unfortunately, little is known about it's mechanism, type, severity, and episode length. This article reviewed related studies on the subject, and found that chemotherapy-induced MCI appears to occur in 10-40% of patients, and memory loss and lack of concentration are the most frequent symptoms. The symptoms are apparently transient, but take at least several years to disap-pear. Reviewed studies show a lack of clear understanding of what causes MCI directly. There is also a lack of consistency in symptom measurement. We point to the need to conduct well-designed studies which begin with a proper hypothesis. Future research needs to be randomized and longitudinal with a base measurement point before the chemotherapy cycle starts. Future studies must adopt an effective and sensitive method to measure MCI. The latest imaging technique, positron emission tomography (PET) may be a powerful tool. Also, all confounding factors, such as age, education, intelligence quotient (IQ), fatigue and depression, hormonal therapy and other treatments should be controlled within the study design. It is hoped that the results of such future studies will allow medical professionals to contemplate effective prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for MCI.

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Abbreviations

MCI:

Mild cognitive impairment

QOL:

Quality of life

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Public Health, 2-3-6 Minami, 351-0197, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan

    Tomohiro Matsuda

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical School, Japan

    Tomoko Takayama

  3. Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center, Tohoku University, Japan

    Manabu Tashiro

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Japan

    Yu Nakamura

  5. Department of Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences and Nursing, University of Tokyo, Japan

    Yasuo Ohashi

  6. Department of Healthcare and Social Services, Faculty of Service Industries, University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, Japan

    Kojiro Shimozuma

Authors
  1. Tomohiro Matsuda
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  2. Tomoko Takayama
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  3. Manabu Tashiro
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  4. Yu Nakamura
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  5. Yasuo Ohashi
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  6. Kojiro Shimozuma
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Correspondence to Tomohiro Matsuda.

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Matsuda, T., Takayama, T., Tashiro, M. et al. Mild cognitive impairment after adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients - evaluation of appropriate research design and methodology to measure symptoms. Breast Cancer 12, 279–287 (2005). https://doi.org/10.2325/jbcs.12.279

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2325/jbcs.12.279

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