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Predictors of baseline cancer‐related cognitive impairment in cancer patients scheduled for a curative treatment
Author(s) -
Lycke Michelle,
Pottel Lies,
Pottel Hans,
Ketelaars Lore,
Stellamans Karin,
Van Eygen Koen,
Vergauwe Philippe,
Werbrouck Patrick,
Goethals Laurence,
Schofield Patricia,
Boterberg Tom,
Debruyne Philip R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.4200
Subject(s) - psychosocial , verbal fluency test , anxiety , breast cancer , worry , distress , medicine , cognition , cancer , depression (economics) , malignancy , clinical psychology , psychology , neuropsychology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Introduction Recent research in the field of cancer‐related cognitive impairments (CRCI) has shown CRCI presentation prior to treatment initiation. Some have attributed these problems to worry and fatigue, whereas others have suggested an influence of age, IQ, and other psychosocial and medical factors. Methods Patients (≥18 years) with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of a solid cancer or hematological malignancy, scheduled for a curative treatment, were evaluated with a baseline neuropsychological assessment including Patient‐Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). PROMs entailed distress, anxiety and depression, fatigue, and cognitive complaints. The neuropsychological assessment comprised several cognitive domains such as premorbid IQ, attention, processing speed, flexibility, verbal and visual episodic memory, and verbal fluency. Results Cross‐sectional data of 125 patients were collected. Patients had a mean age of 60.9 years (range: 30.0‐85.0) and comprised primarily females (65.6%). Patients presented with cancer of following sites: breast (44.0%), digestive (28.8%), urological (11.2%), gynecologic (8.0%), hematologic malignancy (4.8%), and lung (3.2%). Patients presented with a premorbid IQ of 105.3 (range: 79.0‐124.0). In 29.6% of patients, a CRCI was detected. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that a lower premorbid IQ (β = −.084, P < .01) and a higher level of fatigue (β = −.054, P < .05) predicted baseline CRCI. Premorbid IQ also predicted performance on individual cognitive domains. Some domains were also influenced by age, gender, having a breast cancer diagnosis, and an active treatment for hypertension. Conclusion Premorbid IQ and fatigue are important predictors of baseline CRCI. Therefore, we advise researchers to implement a short IQ test when conducting clinical trials on CRCI.