This study is the first to examine whole-brain rsFC in breast cancer patients undergoing hormone therapy. We found robust hypoconnectivity in patients, which demonstrated modest relationships with cognition. Identifying the pattern by which breast cancer and hormone therapy affect brain networks may aid in the development of therapeutic options for patients experiencing negative effects of hormone therapy, thus improving quality of life for cancer survivors. Further, the detection of abnormal brain function may help characterize treatment-associated neural changes that are not captured by standard cognitive measures.
Petersen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.