Evaluating chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and its association with quality of life among cancer patients

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PROBLEM CONSIDERED Cancer-related cognitive impairment or CRCI is an adverse effect of chemotherapy that reduces executive function, processing speed and memory of cancer patients. Various factors that are associated with CRCI in turn leads to a significant reduction in the quality of life of cancer patients. This study aims to identify the proportion of cancer patients having CRCI and reduced QoL, and assess the respective factors related to the decline of the same. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in a period of 6 months among 138 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Necessary data pertaining to sociodemographic and clinical aspects were collected, and questionnaires Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Cognitive Function and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 were administered to assess the cognitive function and QoL, respectively. The data was entered and analysed using SPSS Software version 29. Pearson correlation and Linear regression were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS A weak positive correlation (Pearson's r=0.236, p=0.005) was observed between cognitive function anf quality of life. On univariate analysis, age, comorbidities, alcohol and tobacco use, pre-medications and chemotherapy agents were associated with cognitive function and QoL. After adjustment for covariates, age, comorbidities, and tobacco/areca nut use remained significantly associated with cognitive impairment, whereas none of the assessed factors remained significantly associated with QoL. CONCLUSION Age, comorbidities, and tobacco/areca nut use were independently associated with cognitive impairment among patients receiving chemotherapy, and cognitive function was positively correlated with quality of life; no factors showed an independent association with QoL after adjustment. These findings support individualized screening and management strategies for chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).