Association of markers of tumor aggressivity and cognition in women with breast cancer before adjuvant treatment: The Thinking and Living with Cancer Study Journal Article


Authors: Root, J. C.; Zhou, X.; Ahn, J.; Small, B. J.; Zhai, W.; Bethea, T.; Carroll, J. E.; Cohen, H. J.; Dilawari, A.; Extermann, M.; Graham, D.; Isaacs, C.; Jacobsen, P. B.; Jim, H.; McDonald, B. C.; Nakamura, Z. M.; Patel, S. K.; Rentscher, K.; Saykin, A. J.; Van Dyk, K.; Mandelblatt, J. S.; Ahles, T. A.
Article Title: Association of markers of tumor aggressivity and cognition in women with breast cancer before adjuvant treatment: The Thinking and Living with Cancer Study
Abstract: Purpose: Tumor features associated with aggressive cancers may affect cognition prior to systemic therapy. We evaluated associations of cognition prior to adjuvant therapy and tumor aggressivity in older breast cancer patients. Methods: Women diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer (n = 705) ages 60–98 were enrolled from August 2010-March 2020. Cognition was measured post-surgery, pre-systemic therapy using self-reported (FACT-Cog Perceived Cognitive Impairment [PCI]) and objective tests of attention, processing speed, and executive function (APE domain) and learning and memory [LM domain]. Linear regression tested associations of pre-treatment tumor features and cognition, adjusting for age, race, and study site. HER2 positivity and higher stage (II/III vs. 0/I) were a priori predictors of cognition; in secondary analyses we explored associations of other tumor features and cognitive impairment (i.e., PCI score < 54 or having 2 tests < 1.5 SD or 1 test < 2 SD from the mean APE or LM domain score). Results: HER2 positivity and the hormone receptor negative/HER2 + molecular subtype were associated with lower adjusted mean self-reported cognition scores and higher impairment rates (p values <.05). Higher stage of disease was associated with lower objective performance in APE. Other tumor features were associated with cognition in unadjusted and adjusted models, including larger tumor size and lower PCI scores (p = 0.02). Tumor features were not related to LM. Conclusions: Pre-adjuvant therapy cognition was associated with HER2 positivity and higher stage of disease and other features of aggressive tumors. Additional research is needed to confirm these results and assess potential mechanisms and clinical management strategies. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Keywords: adult; aged; aged, 80 and over; middle aged; major clinical study; adjuvant therapy; cancer staging; breast cancer; mastectomy; tumor volume; epidermal growth factor receptor 2; breast neoplasms; self report; breast tumor; neuropsychological test; neuropsychological tests; cognition; cognitive defect; estrogen receptor; progesterone receptor; memory; attention; elderly; lumpectomy; learning; percutaneous coronary intervention; cognitive dysfunction; oncological parameters; older adults; executive function; very elderly; humans; human; female; article; processing speed; functional assessment of cancer therapy cognitive function; clinicopathological tumor features; tumor aggressivity
Journal Title: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Volume: 194
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0167-6806
Publisher: Springer  
Date Published: 2022-07-01
Start Page: 413
End Page: 422
Language: English
DOI: 10.1007/s10549-022-06623-2
PUBMED: 35587324
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC9392482
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 August 2022 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Tim A Ahles
    182 Ahles
  2. James Charles Root
    113 Root