PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the use of the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms (TUS) as a model for describing the symptom experience related to the cognitive impairment associated with standard-dose chemotherapy and compare and contrast that use of the TUS with the Conceptual Model of Chemotherapy-Related Changes in Cognitive Function. DATA SOURCES: PubMed database. DATA SYNTHESIS: Retrospective and prospective clinical trials have substantiated the incidence of mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Patients have reported a significant effect on quality of life. Associated factors may include age, anemia, fatigue, depression, anxiety, hormone levels, cytokine release, and genetic makeup. Establishing the appropriateness of a working model to describe the relationships would provide additional structure and focus for empirical research. CONCLUSIONS: Both models have utility for describing the relationships of factors associated with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Blending of the TUS and the Conceptual Model of Chemotherapy-Related Changes in Cognitive Function may provide an enhanced framework for further research about the physiologic and psychological aspects of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment.
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Jamie Myers (2009) studied this question.
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