Long-Term Cognitive Functioning in Testicular Germ-Cell Tumor Survivors

Abstract

© AlphaMed Press 2018 Background: Treatment for cancer may lead to development of cognitive difficulties in cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate long-term cognitive functioning (CogF) in germ-cell tumor (GCT) survivors. Subjects, Materials, and Methods: GCT survivors (n = 155) from the National Cancer Institute of Slovakia completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function at a median of 10 years of follow-up (range: 5–32). The study group consisted of survivors receiving a cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, or both, whereas the control group included survivors treated with orchiectomy only. Results: Of the total survivors, 138 received treatment beyond orchiectomy and 17 controls had orchiectomy alone. Any treatment resulted in significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the overall cognitive function score. Treatment with radiotherapy was associated with cognitive declines in overall cognitive functioning and in subscales for perceived cognitive impairment and cognitive impairment perceived by others (both p