Cognitive Sequelae of Endocrine Therapy for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Consistent with research implicating estrogens in neuroprotection and cognitive functioning, there is accumulating evidence that endocrine therapy (ET) is associated with cognitive impairments in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, which cognitive functions are most affected by ET is not well understood and there is a lack of knowledge regarding how these agents affect cognition in older patients, who may be most vulnerable to these effects. This thesis contains two studies designed to address these issues. The first is a meta-analysis that quantified the effects of ET on various cognitive domains, and the second study prospectively examined the cognitive effects of ET in a cohort of older patients. The results of these studies converged to suggest a specific adverse effect of ET on verbal memory, a domain that has established clinical utility as an early predictor of dementia. The cognitive implications of ET treatment should be considered in clinical decision making.M.Sc.2018-11-21 00:00:0