title: Cognitive speed of processing and functional declines in older cancer survivors: an analysis of data from the ACTIVE trial.
abstract: It has been suggested that chemotherapy treatment for cancer may contribute to cognitive decline in older cancer survivors. This issue is particularly important given that subtle cognitive impairment, particularly in cognitive processing speed, can affect functional status and quality of life for older adults. Multivariate regression of data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of older adults revealed a trend towards decreased performance after cancer treatment with chemotherapy on several functional measures associated with processing speed (as compared with matched individuals who did not have cancer). Additional analyses revealed that a subset of the chemotherapy-treated adults demonstrated a reliable negative change on several measures of processing speed. While inconclusive, this hypothesis generating work suggests that cognitive dysfunction following cancer treatment may contribute to disability observed in older cancer survivors. Further research is needed to determine the significance of the relationship between cognitive and functional impairment in older cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham Veterans Administration Medical Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. ekvale@aging.uab.edu
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kvale
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ross-Meadows
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Unverzagt
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ball
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index