title: Cognitive impairment in gynecologic cancers: a systematic review of current approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the etiology and assessment of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). To explore current treatment and prevention strategies for CRCI and propose future research goals in the field of gynecologic oncology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computerized searches in PubMed of cognitive impairment in cancer between 2000 and 2012 were conducted. The inclusion criteria were randomized control trials evaluating treatment of CRCI and search terms 'cognitive function, cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, chemobrain, chemofog, and cancer'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To date, numerous modalities have been utilized for assessing CRCI in patients undergoing therapy. It has been proposed to move towards web-based assessment modalities as a possible standard. Few studies have aimed to elucidate possible treatment and prevention options for CRCI; even less in the field of gynecologic oncology. Only seven of these studies were subjected to randomized control trials. Only one of these studies looked at treatment in patients with gynecologic cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The etiology of CRCI is multi-factorial. Following from this, there is no consensus on the best way to assess CRCI although objective measures are more reliable. One must extrapolate data from the non-gynecologic cancer literature, even venturing to non-cancer literature, to explore the treatment and prevention of CRCI. The methods found in these areas of research have not yet been applied to CRCI in gynecologic oncology.
authors.affiliation: St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, 500 W. Thomas Road, Suite 600, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA, christine.craig@mihs.org.
authors.forename: Christine D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Monk
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: Dana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chase
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents