Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors

ABSTRACT Introduction Cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is common among patients with breast cancer, with significant variability in both severity and duration of cognitive complaints. This study aimed to elucidate this variability by identifying distinct trajectories of cognitive complaint...

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Main Authors: Rob Colaes, Gwen Schroyen, Rebeca Alejandra Gavrila Laic, Jeroen Blommaert, Sigrid Hatse, Ann Smeets, Stefan Sunaert, Sabine Deprez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Cancer Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71130
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author Rob Colaes
Gwen Schroyen
Rebeca Alejandra Gavrila Laic
Jeroen Blommaert
Sigrid Hatse
Ann Smeets
Stefan Sunaert
Sabine Deprez
author_facet Rob Colaes
Gwen Schroyen
Rebeca Alejandra Gavrila Laic
Jeroen Blommaert
Sigrid Hatse
Ann Smeets
Stefan Sunaert
Sabine Deprez
author_sort Rob Colaes
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Introduction Cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is common among patients with breast cancer, with significant variability in both severity and duration of cognitive complaints. This study aimed to elucidate this variability by identifying distinct trajectories of cognitive complaints over time in patients with breast cancer. Additionally, we explored the relationships between these trajectories and various clinical, demographic, psychosocial, neuropsychological, neuroimaging (resting‐state functional MRI, rs‐fMRI), and serum markers. Methods In this prospective study, 67 patients with non‐metastatic breast cancer underwent psychosocial questionnaires, neuropsychological testing, rs‐fMRI, and serum markers at diagnosis (T0), 8 months after diagnosis (T1), and 16 months after diagnosis (T2). Using the partition around medoids (PAM) algorithm on the difference scores of cognitive complaints, patients were clustered into distinct groups. Differences between the groups were assessed using linear mixed effects models. Rs‐fMRI was analyzed using whole‐brain graph theory and connectivity in four cognition‐related networks. Results Four different trajectories of cognitive complaints were identified: stable with no changes in complaints (n = 24), improving with a decrease in complaints at T1 (n = 15), a short‐term affected with an increase in complaints at T1 and recovery at T2 (n = 13), and a long‐term affected with an increase in complaints at T1 and T2 (n = 15). While the groups strongly correlated with changes in the psychosocial measures, only subtle associations were found with neuropsychological tests, serum markers, or rs‐fMRI analyses. Conclusions This research affirmed the presence of distinct trajectories of cognitive complaints in patients with breast cancer, which were associated with differences in anxiety, fatigue, stress, and depression.
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spelling doaj-art-aeb7cefb73064c7a9c31b60b30706e832025-08-20T03:06:40ZengWileyCancer Medicine2045-76342025-08-011415n/an/a10.1002/cam4.71130Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological FactorsRob Colaes0Gwen Schroyen1Rebeca Alejandra Gavrila Laic2Jeroen Blommaert3Sigrid Hatse4Ann Smeets5Stefan Sunaert6Sabine Deprez7Department of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumDepartment of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumDepartment of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumDepartment of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumLeuven Cancer Institute KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumLeuven Cancer Institute KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumDepartment of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumDepartment of Imaging and Pathology KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumABSTRACT Introduction Cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is common among patients with breast cancer, with significant variability in both severity and duration of cognitive complaints. This study aimed to elucidate this variability by identifying distinct trajectories of cognitive complaints over time in patients with breast cancer. Additionally, we explored the relationships between these trajectories and various clinical, demographic, psychosocial, neuropsychological, neuroimaging (resting‐state functional MRI, rs‐fMRI), and serum markers. Methods In this prospective study, 67 patients with non‐metastatic breast cancer underwent psychosocial questionnaires, neuropsychological testing, rs‐fMRI, and serum markers at diagnosis (T0), 8 months after diagnosis (T1), and 16 months after diagnosis (T2). Using the partition around medoids (PAM) algorithm on the difference scores of cognitive complaints, patients were clustered into distinct groups. Differences between the groups were assessed using linear mixed effects models. Rs‐fMRI was analyzed using whole‐brain graph theory and connectivity in four cognition‐related networks. Results Four different trajectories of cognitive complaints were identified: stable with no changes in complaints (n = 24), improving with a decrease in complaints at T1 (n = 15), a short‐term affected with an increase in complaints at T1 and recovery at T2 (n = 13), and a long‐term affected with an increase in complaints at T1 and T2 (n = 15). While the groups strongly correlated with changes in the psychosocial measures, only subtle associations were found with neuropsychological tests, serum markers, or rs‐fMRI analyses. Conclusions This research affirmed the presence of distinct trajectories of cognitive complaints in patients with breast cancer, which were associated with differences in anxiety, fatigue, stress, and depression.https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71130clusteringcognitive complaintsCRCIlongitudinal trajectoriespsychosocialRs‐fMRI breast cancer
spellingShingle Rob Colaes
Gwen Schroyen
Rebeca Alejandra Gavrila Laic
Jeroen Blommaert
Sigrid Hatse
Ann Smeets
Stefan Sunaert
Sabine Deprez
Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
Cancer Medicine
clustering
cognitive complaints
CRCI
longitudinal trajectories
psychosocial
Rs‐fMRI breast cancer
title Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
title_full Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
title_fullStr Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
title_full_unstemmed Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
title_short Trajectories of Cognitive Complaints in Patients With Breast Cancer and Their Association With Psychosocial and Neurobiological Factors
title_sort trajectories of cognitive complaints in patients with breast cancer and their association with psychosocial and neurobiological factors
topic clustering
cognitive complaints
CRCI
longitudinal trajectories
psychosocial
Rs‐fMRI breast cancer
url https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.71130
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