Cancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy, is often accompanied by cognitive deficits, sparking significant interest in the medical community. Recent research now explores the potential of exercise to preserve cognitive function in cancer patients. However, the varied methods of assessing cognitive function in these studies present challenges in understanding the true impact of exercise. A recent scoping review critically examines the current literature to shed light on this issue.
Methodology and Inclusion Criteria
To gather relevant studies, researchers conducted an extensive search across the PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. The search utilized keywords such as “cognition,” “cancer,” “chemotherapy,” and “exercise.” Only prospective studies published in English that included adult cancer patients and a clear method of assessing cognitive function in relation to exercise were considered. Exclusions applied to pediatric populations, non-cancer patients, and various types of review and protocol papers.
Findings and Assessment Techniques
The review identified 29 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, which employed 29 distinct assessments to measure cognitive function. These assessments were split between patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and objective methods, with 17 studies relying on PROs and 12 utilizing objective measures. PROs generally focused on memory and concentration, while objective measures covered a wider array of cognitive domains. This disparity highlights the inconsistency in assessment approaches, complicating market access for standardized therapeutic recommendations.
The mixed results observed in these studies indicate a significant barrier for healthcare providers attempting to integrate exercise into cancer care regimens effectively. Uniformity in cognitive assessments is crucial for developing evidence-based exercise protocols that can be widely accepted and implemented in clinical practice. Given the potential benefits of exercise, establishing standardized methods could improve patient outcomes and facilitate broader market access for exercise-based interventions.
Key Inferences
- The heterogeneity in cognitive assessment methods limits the comparability of study results.
- Standardized cognitive assessment tools are essential for validating the role of exercise in cognitive preservation among cancer patients.
- Uniform assessment methods would streamline market access for exercise protocols, making them more viable as integrative cancer therapies.
In conclusion, while exercise shows promise in mitigating cognitive deficits in cancer patients, the lack of standardized assessment methods poses a significant hurdle. Moving forward, the development and adoption of uniform cognitive function tests are essential to accurately gauge the benefits of exercise and facilitate its integration into cancer treatment protocols on a broader scale.
Original Article:
Integr Cancer Ther. 2024 Jan-Dec;23:15347354241265349. doi: 10.1177/15347354241265349.
ABSTRACT
Cancer-associated cognitive deficits following chemotherapy have received increased attention in clinical research. Exercise has been shown to preserve cognitive function in cancer patients, though the overall effect is mixed. Here we present a scoping review of the published literature summarizing methods used to assess cognitive function in exercise oncology trials. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases were searched using keywords “cognition,” “cancer” OR “neoplasm” OR “tumor,” “chemotherapy” and “exercise” OR “physical activity.” Studies eligible for inclusion include prospective studies that were published in English in peer-reviewed journals that include a method of assessing cognitive function in adult cancer patients, in which an exercise modality or method of quantifying exercise habits was evident. Studies were excluded if they included a pediatric population, patients that were not diagnosed with cancer, or were systematic/narrative/scoping reviews, protocol papers or dissertation/theses. Results: A total of 29 studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, 29 unique assessments were used to evaluate cognitive function, including patient-reported outcomes (PROs; n = 8) and objective (n = 21) methods. More than half (n = 17) of included studies relied on PROs while 12 studies utilized objective measures of cognitive function Cognitive domains of the PROs were limited in scope, focusing on memory and attention/concentration while the objective measures were broader and inclusive of multiple domains. Conclusion: The results of this review indicate that mixed approaches to evaluating cognitive function in cancer patients pose a major limitation to understanding the role of exercise as an integrative approach. The evidence demonstrates a need for more uniform assessment of cognitive function in exercise oncology trials.
PMID:39045709 | DOI:10.1177/15347354241265349
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