Anecdotal reports of a loss of mental acuity are a source of significant concern among patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy. Although cognitive deficits are pronounced during treatment, data are conflicting regarding the persistence of cognitive deficits after treatment.

In a recent meta-analysis examining 17 studies of 807 patients previously treated with standard-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer, observed cognitive effects tend to be, on average, small in magnitude and limited to verbal and visuospatial ability, according to the October 10, 2012, Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) article, “Meta-Analysis of Cognitive Functioning in Breast Cancer Survivors Previously Treated with Standard-Dose Chemotherapy.”

“This information can be used to inform interventions to educate patients with breast cancer regarding the long-term impact of chemotherapy on cognitive functioning,” as stated in the report by study authors Heather S.L. Jim, PhD; Kristin M. Phillips, PhD; Sari Chait, MD, PhD, et al.

For more information on the report, visit jco.ascopubs.org. An accompanying JCO podcast, “In a Sea of Data the Water Is Still Murky: Meta-Analysis of Cognition in Breast Cancer,” by Janette L. Vardy, MD, PhD, is also available at jco.ascopubs.org.