title: [A meta-analysis of chemotherapy related cognitive impairment in patients with breast cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cognitive effects of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using several databases, prospective studies were collected up to August 2011. Of 2,106 publications identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria, and 8 studies were used to estimate the effect size of chemotherapy on cognitive impairment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve studies were done since 2005 and most of the research was performed in Europe or North America. Eight studies were used to generate effect size across the cognitive domains of attention/concentration, verbal and visual memory, executive function, visuospatial skill, language, and subjective cognitive function. Each of the cognitive domains showed small effect sizes (-0.02 ~ -0.26), indicating diminished cognitive function for the chemotherapy group compared with non-chemotherapy groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Finding suggests that breast cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy may experience mild cognitive decline. Further study is needed to generate knowledge and guideline for interventions to address chemotherapy related cognitive impairment in these patients.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sun Hyoung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents