title: Information about chemotherapy-associated cognitive problems contributes to cognitive problems in cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although increasing attention is directed at identifying biological mechanisms underlying cognitive changes observed in cancer patients without central nervous system disease following chemotherapy, psychological factors that can contribute to these cognitive changes are much less studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an online experiment, the influence of informing patients about the association between cognitive problems and chemotherapy on self-reported cognitive functioning and neuropsychological test performance was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cancer patients treated with chemotherapy (n = 150) reported higher levels of cognitive complaints after receiving such information (M = 21.20) than without such information (M = 18.98; p = 0.032). No difference was found for patients without (a history of) chemotherapy (n = 86; M = 18.85 vs. 20.08; NS). A similar interaction pattern was observed on a word-learning test. Patients treated with chemotherapy recalled fewer words after being informed about the association between cognitive problems and chemotherapy (M = 24.44) than without such information (M = 27.63; p = 0.010). No difference was found for patients not treated with chemotherapy (M = 26.35 vs. 25.38; NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient information may induce a stereotype threat, which affects self-reported cognitive function and neuropsychological test performance in cancer patients for whom this information is relevant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. s.schagen@nki.nl
authors.forename: Sanne B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Schagen
authors.forename: Enny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D009426:Netherlands; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents