Factors associated with cognitive impairment during the first year of treatment for nonmetastatic breast cancer

Abstract

Background: Women with breast cancer are more likely to develop cognitive impairment (CI), insomnia, fatigue, and mood disturbance than individuals with other cancers. The main objectives of this study were to establish the prevalence of CI and examine the relationships between CI, insomnia, fatigue, and mood over the first year of breast cancer treatment. Methods: Participants were recruited after diagnosis and completed validated measures of insomnia, objective and perceived CI, fatigue, and mood disturbance at four time points during the first year of treatment. A random intercepts cross-lagged panel model assessed relationships among symptoms over time. Results: The sample included 98 women. Prevalence of objective CI ranged from 3.1% to 8.2% throughout the year, whereas 36.7% demonstrated a clinically meaningful decline in perceived CI from baseline to 4 months, which remained relatively stable. Greater perceived CI was associated with more fatigue (β = −0.78, z = 17.48, p