Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
10:10
Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
13.2K
[Cancer-related Cognitive Impairment: Current Knowledge and Future Challenges]
Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi = Psychiatria Et Neurologia Japonica
|December 9, 2015
Summary
Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) affects many patients during and after treatment. Advance care planning (ACP) is crucial for patients with cognitive decline to express end-of-life wishes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Neuroscience
- Geriatrics
Context:
- Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) affects a significant portion of cancer patients, impacting quality of life and treatment adherence.
- CRCI is often underrecognized by healthcare professionals, despite its prevalence and long-term effects.
- Factors contributing to CRCI include cancer therapies (chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy), inflammation, hormonal changes, stress, and genetic predispositions.
Purpose:
- To review the current understanding of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), focusing on its causes and prevalence.
- To highlight the challenges faced by cancer patients with cognitive impairment in expressing their end-of-life care preferences.
- To emphasize the importance of Advance Care Planning (ACP) for patients at risk of cognitive decline.
Summary:
- CRCI encompasses cognitive difficulties experienced by cancer patients during and after treatment, with up to 75% affected.
- CRCI can persist long-term and significantly impacts patients' social, occupational, and overall quality of life.
- Mechanisms involve inflammatory cytokines, hormonal shifts, cancer biology, stress, and attentional fatigue, with inter-individual variability influenced by genetics and comorbidities.
Impact:
- Increased awareness of CRCI among clinicians is needed for timely recognition and management.
- Advance Care Planning (ACP) provides a vital framework for patients with cognitive impairment to document their end-of-life wishes.
- Integrating ACP into cancer care is essential, particularly with the growing population of aging cancer patients experiencing cognitive decline.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:19Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
630
Chronic stress has been linked to both the onset and progression of serious health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Type 2 diabetes, a widespread chronic illness, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance, both of which often worsen under stress. Studies indicate that men experiencing high levels of chronic stress face a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal stress. Stress triggers physiological responses that elevate blood...
630
02:49Cancer Therapies
10.6K
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
10.6K
02:49Cancer Therapies
3.0K
3.0K
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
827
Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...
827
02:18Cancer
55.7K
Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
55.7K
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
7.4K
Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
7.4K