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Medium-term effects of chemotherapy in older cancer patients

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Abstract

Purpose

To address the lack of research in older cancer patients, the present study prospectively evaluated their cognitive functions across the first six months following diagnosis and chemotherapy.

Patients and Methods

A total of 77 younger (n=43, age < 60) and older (n=34, age ≥ 60) cancer patients with hematological disease or cancer of the intestinal tract took part in the study. Medium-term effects of chemotherapy were examined in these cancer patients by means of a battery of cognitive tests during baseline and six months after start of treatment.

Results

In contrast to baseline verbal learning, word fluency and memory capacity improved in all patients six months after start of treatment. A negative effect of age on cognitive functions could not be demonstrated. Additionally, depression was neither associated with medium-term effects of chemotherapy nor was it related to age.

Conclusion

The results suggest that chemotherapy has no negative effects on cognitive functions after the first six months following the onset of treatment. It was demonstrated that complete recovery of cognitive functions is independent of the patient’s age.

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Acknowledgements

The research was supported by a grant of the “Deutsche Krebshilfe” (German Cancer Aid, project number 70-02445) to WHRM. The authors gratefully acknowledge Ms. S. Zörner and Ms. S. Helfricht for their help in collecting data. The authors thank Margret and Keith Thompson for proofreading in English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Am Steiger 3/1, 07743, Jena, Germany

    Barbara Eberhardt, Stefan Dilger, Frauke Musial, Thomas Weiss & Wolfgang H. R. Miltner

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747, Jena, Germany

    Ulrich Wedding

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  1. Barbara Eberhardt
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  2. Stefan Dilger
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  3. Frauke Musial
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  4. Ulrich Wedding
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  6. Wolfgang H. R. Miltner
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Correspondence to Barbara Eberhardt.

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Eberhardt, B., Dilger, S., Musial, F. et al. Medium-term effects of chemotherapy in older cancer patients. Support Care Cancer 14, 216–222 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-005-0894-4

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