title: Cancer and Cognitive Function: The PATH Through Life Project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A limited number of studies have shown that cancer diagnosis plays a protective role in Alzheimer's disease. However, the effect of the cancer diagnosis on general cognitive function/cognitive decline has not been previously examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cancer diagnosis and cognitive function and mild cognitive impairment/disorders (MCI/MCD), adjusting for cancer treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  These data were drawn from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Study, a population-based Australian cohort study. A total of 2,547 participants (age range 60-66 years; 48.4% women) who answered cancer-related questions were included in analyses. Random effects linear and logistic models were used to analyze 8-year follow-up data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who were diagnosed with cancer at or prior to baseline (n = 166) had higher levels of physical conditions and depression compared with those who received cancer diagnoses during follow-ups (n = 346) and those who reported no cancer history (n = 2,035). A main effect suggested an improvement in processing speed (p < .01), working memory (p < .05), and simple reaction time (p < .05) for those who received the cancer diagnosis after baseline when compared with those without a cancer diagnosis. However, these group differences were no longer significant when adjusted for cancer treatments. Those with a cancer diagnosis at or prior to baseline reported poorer processing speed when compared with those without a cancer diagnosis, even after adjusting for the treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cancer diagnosis alone did not play a protective role for cognitive function and cognitive impairment in this population of older community-living individuals.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cherbuin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Australia; Longitudinal studies; Mild cognitive impairment; Treatment-related cancer