Neurocognitive Function in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Prior to Radiation Therapy

The study aimed to explore neurocognitive function in HNC survivors prior to initiation of radiotherapy, and to compare differences in baseline neurocognition between survivors and matched controls.

This cross-sectional, exploratory study included patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, or larynx/hypopharynx between January 2019 and August 2022 who underwent radiotherapy. Noncancer controls were recruited through a research registry and matched on age, sex, and years of education. Neuropsychological testing was completed before radiotherapy initiation.

Controlling for covariates, 40 patients and matched controls performed similarly on baseline measures of attention, memory, executive function, perceived cognitive function, mental flexibility, psychomotor efficiency, and visuo-spatial ability (p ≥ 0.05).

There were no significant differences in neurocognitive function between patients with HNC and noncancer controls prior to radiotherapy. Further work is needed to explore the long-term impact of radiotherapy on neurocognition.