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Changes in Cognitive Function Related to Chemotherapy

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Supportive Cancer Care

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Abstract

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, or CRCI, is not yet well understood. It is a phenomenon that occurs among a subset of cancer patients who have received chemotherapy. In general, it is defined as a clinically meaningful or statistically significant decline in cognitive function – such as memory, attention, verbal memory, executive function, or information processing speed – that is associated with chemotherapy treatment [1–3]. However, cognitive function is complex and is affected by a number of other changes patients experience, such as hormonal changes, stress/distress, worry, anxiety, depression, fatigue, aging, and the effects of anesthesia during surgery, all of which are known to affect cognitive function [4–7].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Lisa M. Hess PhD

  2. Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Steven Chin MD

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  1. Lisa M. Hess PhD
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Correspondence to Lisa M. Hess PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA

    David Alberts , Maria Lluria-Prevatt  & Karen Weihs ,  & 

  2. University of Arizona Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Stephanie Kha

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Hess, L.M., Chin, S. (2016). Changes in Cognitive Function Related to Chemotherapy. In: Alberts, D., Lluria-Prevatt, M., Kha, S., Weihs, K. (eds) Supportive Cancer Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24814-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24814-1_11

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