Patients with non-central nervous system (CNS) cancers report cognitive problems and symptoms that are called ‘cancer-related cognitive impairment’ (CRCI).
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and biological therapies are some of the common methods of cancer treatment that can lead to improvements in progression-free survival. However, these treatment methods can cause significant side effects.
Numerous studies and clinical research indicate that patients diagnosed with cancer and those who have received treatment often experience significant short-term and long-term cognitive impairment.
longitudinal neuropsychological assessment research studies in cancer patients indicate that up to 30% of patients experience cancer-related cognitive impairment such as problems with memory, executive functioning, and attention/concentration, prior to any treatment; up to 75% experience this problem during treatment, and up to 35% experience cancer-related cognitive impairment months or years following completion of treatments for cancer (Janelsins et al., 2011). according to the studies’ findings with over 13 million cancer survivors in the United States (ACS, 2013), up to 4.5 million individuals may be living with long-lasting cognitive difficulties resulting from cancer and cancer treatments Recent research also suggests that CRCI in patients who received chemotherapy can have a later onset (Wefel et al., 2010), and may persist for 20 years following treatment (Koppelmans et al., 2012).
Cancer-related cognitive impairment is of considerable concern as this set of problems can influence adherence to treatments, impair quality of life, and lead to long-term cognitive impairments. It is important to note that this problem can vary in the domains affected and may be subtle or dramatic, temporary or permanent, and stable or progressive (Ahles et al., 2012).
Overall, Cancer – related cognitive impairment may have negative consequences on quality of life, such as the ability to enjoy leisure activities, return to work or school, maintain social roles and relationships, and adhere to health regimens.