Changes of Cognitive Function and Depression following Chemotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer: A Prospective Study

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the changes of cognitive function and depression following Chemotherapy in women with breast cancer. METHODS: Fifty patients participated in the study and completed the questionnaire at three-time points pre-chemotherapy, post-chemotherapy, and six months after the completion of chemotherapy. The assessment tools were everyday cognition, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Immediately after chemotherapy, 52.0% of patients complained of subjective cognitive decline and reported greater difficulty in the cognitive domains of attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities. At six-month follow-up, 24.0% of patients exhibited mild cognitive decline. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant decline in cognitive function after chemotherapy. However, improvement was observed 6 months after the completion of chemotherapy. Depression showed similar patterns to cognitive function. Higher cognitive decline scores were significantly correlated with higher depression (r=.33, p=.020). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that chemotherapy is highly associated with cognitive decline and depression in women with breast cancer. Nursing intervention is needed to relieve depression as well as cognitive decline in patients undergoing chemotherapy.