Page 141 - EJMO-9-3

Eurasian Journal of Medicine

and Oncology

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Influencing factors of chemotherapy-related

cognitive impairment in patients with breast
cancer

Ying Zhang 1† , Shuhan Wu 1† , Yunmiao Ma , Shuyang Chang 1 , Jianhui Li 1 ,
2
1,3
1
3
1
Bo Tian , Nan Jiang , Liping Yang , Kenian Pan , and Xulong Zhu *
3
1 Department of Surgical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
2 Department of Medical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
3 Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Clinical Medicine, Graduate School,
Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xixian New Area, Shaanxi, China
Abstract

Introduction: The chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment is common, but the
influencing factors and effective intervention measures are not well known.
Objective: To investigate the changes of cognitive function in breast cancer patients
before and after chemotherapy, identify the influencing factors of cognitive function
in chemotherapy patients, and investigate whether there is a mediating effect among
multiple factors. Finally, an intervention was implemented for patients experiencing
† These authors contributed equally cognitive dysfunction to evaluate its effects on cognitive function.
to this work. Methods: Using the convenience sampling method, we recruited 380 breast cancer
*Corresponding author: chemotherapy patients at three tertiary hospitals in Xi’an from October 2018 to May
Xulong Zhu 2019. The Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive
(zhuxulong@stu.xjtu.edu.cn) Function scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the Hamilton Depression Scale, and the
Citation: Zhang Y, Wu S, Ma Y, social support rating scale were used to evaluate the cognitive function of breast cancer
et al. Influencing factors of patients during chemotherapy, and analyze the influencing factors of cognitive function.
chemotherapy-related cognitive
impairment in patients with breast Results: The incidence of chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction in breast
cancer. Eurasian J Med Oncol. cancer patients was 19.74% (75/380). The results of the univariate analysis showed
2025;9(3):133-146. that the education level, medical expense payment method, family history of
doi: 10.36922/EJMO025130073
breast cancer, disease stage, and presence of comorbidities could impact cognitive
Received: March 27, 2025 functioning in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (p<0.05). Correlation
Revised: April 26, 2025 analysis revealed that there was a negative correlation among cognitive function
and anxiety and depression (p<0.01), while a positive correlation with social support
Accepted: May 8, 2025
(p<0.05). Furthermore, multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that the
Published online: June 3, 2025 education level, medical expense payment method, disease stage, depression, and
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). social support were independent influencing factors of cognitive function in breast
This is an Open-Access article cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and that depressive symptoms had a
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution mediating effect in the relationship between social support and cognitive function.
License, permitting distribution, Cognitive has been shown to have a positive impact on cognitive function.
and reproduction in any medium, Conclusion: Cognitive dysfunction in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy
provided the original work is
properly cited. is a multifactorial condition that requires rigorous educational and social support
interventions for improvements of patient outcomes.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Keywords: Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment
affiliations.

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2025) 133 doi: 10.36922/EJMO025130073