Cognitive impairment in young adults after cancer treatment: A descriptive correlational study on levels and associations with disease-related, psychological, and lifestyle factors

Abstract

Purpose: Young adults report challenges concerning cancer-­related cognitive impairment (CRCI). This study aimed to: (1) describe cognition in young adults post-cancer treatment using self-report and performance-based measures, and (2) examine associations between cognition and relevant disease-related, psychological, and lifestyle (physical activity; PA) factors. Methods: Forty-six young adults (Mage = 31.4 ± 5.4 years; 91.3% female) completed web-based questionnaires and neuropsychological tests; data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations. Results: Most (60.9%) self-reported clinically meaningful CRCI and displayed poorer executive functioning and processing speed (but not working memory) than normative data. Disease-related factors, psychological factors, and PA had null-to-moderate (rs = −0.32–0.28), small-to-large (rs = −0.74–0.77), and trivial-to-moderate (rs = −0.16 – 0.36) correlations with cognition (respectively), with differences in magnitude between self-­reported and objective cognition. Conclusion: The observed correlations warrant further exploration in larger prospective studies, and trials should investigate causative mechanisms and specific PA parameters.