Cognitive functioning in thyroid cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Psychology

Background:

• Thyroid cancer (TC) survivors may experience persistent cognitive symptoms.
• Understanding the extent and nature of these cognitive impairments is vital for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
• To compare cognitive performance between thyroid cancer survivors and control groups.

Main Methods:

• Searched seven databases and performed hand-searches for relevant studies.
• Conducted duplicate, independent reviews and data abstraction.
• Utilized random-effects meta-analyses to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

• Included seven studies with 241 TC survivors and 273 controls.
• TC survivors showed statistically significant worse performance in attention (Digit Span Forwards), processing speed (Trail Making A), and language (COWAT-Categories).
• Executive function results were mixed, with some domains showing significant impairment (COWAT-Letters, Digit Span Backwards) and others not (Trail Making B).

Conclusions:

• Thyroid cancer survivors exhibit cognitive deficits across multiple domains.
• Limitations include a small number of studies, potential confounding factors, and a lack of prospective data.
• TC survivors should communicate any cognitive concerns to their healthcare providers.