Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33533166›Full record

SynthesisPsycho-oncology2021

Prevalence of cognitive impairment and change in patients with breast cancer: A systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Aicha B C Dijkshoorn, Haike E van Stralen, Maurits Sloots, Sanne B Schagen, Johanna M A Visser-Meily, Vera P M Schepers

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psycho-oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 89 papers, 14 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
89citing papers in PubMed, 14 pooled it
14.2field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

89 citing papers in PubMed, 14 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 142 citations in OpenAlex.

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  20. Distinct affective neural phenotypes in breast cancer survivors: implications for personalized supportive care after chemotherapy.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article

29 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Aicha B C DijkshoornDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science & Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0439-0320
Haike E van StralenDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science & Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Maurits SlootsDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science & Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Sanne B SchagenDepartment of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Johanna M A Visser-MeilyDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science & Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Vera P M SchepersDepartment of Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science & Sports, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
University Medical Center Utrecht · NLDutch Cancer Society · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePatients with breast cancer face cognitive impairment that affects their quality of life; partially attributable to treatment. Our aim was to detail the prevalence and change of cognitive impairment during the course of treatment. We also investigated the effect of therapy (chemotherapy [CT]) vs. radiotherapy and/or endocrine therapy vs. healthy controls).

methodsThis article reviews longitudinal cohort studies published to date in Medline and Embase that (i) assess cognition before and after therapy, (ii) report prevalence cognitive impairment or change, and (iii) use standardized and valid neuropsychological tests. We used the original authors' criteria for cognitive impairment.

resultsThe title and abstract of 891 articles were screened, resulting in the identification of 90 potentially relevant articles while applying the eligibility criteria. After full-text examination, 17 studies were included. Prevalence of cognitive impairment range from 25% before therapy, through 24% after therapy to 21% at maximal 1-year follow-up (FU). Compared to their pretreatment cognitive functioning, 24% of patients decline after treatment and 24% at 1-year FU. Some studies also reported cognitive improvement showing that 15% and 31% of patients improve, respectively. In general, patients undergoing CT have a higher chance of cognitive impairment and decline than no-CT patients and healthy controls.

conclusionsThis study shows that one out of four breast cancer patients shows cognitive impairment prior to treatment administration CT and a significant number of patients decline during the course of disease, suggesting that cognitive impairment is not exclusively related to CT and/or no-CT therapies. This study shows that assessment of cognitive functioning, ideally over time, is crucial and may help the implementation of personalized rehabilitation pathways.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCognitive DysfunctionFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesPrevalenceQuality of Lifecancercancer-related cognitive impairmentchemotherapy-related cognitive impairmentlongitudinal studiesmamma carcinomaoncology

Identifiers

PMID33533166
PMCPMC8248098
OpenAlexW3127416942

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.