Singapore - Asian breast cancer patients suffer from cognitive problems: study

SINGAPORE: Asian breast cancer patients who received or are undergoing chemotherapy suffer from cognitive problems such as memory loss, difficulty in decision making and speech problems.

That's according to a recent study by a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore.

The findings from this first-ever qualitative study conducted among Asians are consistent with similar studies conducted on Caucasian patients. 

The study revealed that patients are not aware of the potential cognitive disturbances that may result after cancer treatment.

They attributed the lapse in their cognitive functions to fatigue, anxiety and mood changes.

The patients were also overwhelmed by the physical side-effects of chemotherapy that they were oblivious to the cognitive changes.

To cope with cognitive changes associated with chemotherapy, some breast cancer patients turned to mahjong, qigong and complementary alternative medicine such as walnut and ginkgo extracts, to regulate their moods and reduce the severity of their fatigue.

The study was conducted in August 2011, and findings were published in the online version of Annals of Oncology last Tuesday.

The research team is currently conducting a large-scale, longitudinal study to evaluate the degree of cognitive changes experienced by local cancer patients.

- CNA/cc 



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