Full Title
Older Breast Cancer Patients: Risk for Cognitive Decline (BRANY)Purpose
People with cancer often complain that their “mind does not seem to be clear.” This can be due to stress, depression or anxiety, or physical problems, or may be due to some cancer treatments. The purpose of this study is to better understand the effects of cancer treatments on thinking (cognitive) abilities and memory in people with breast cancer over age 60. Thinking abilities and memory may decrease with age, and the effects of some treatments could make this problem worse in older people with breast cancer.
This study is one of the first to look at risks for changes in thinking in older people with cancer and how this may affect their quality of life. Researchers will also look at patients’ genes to see how they may be affected by the treatment. The results of this research will help doctors and patients in making decisions about cancer treatment, and also help to design better treatments and interventions for older women.
Participants are asked to answer a series of brief questions about their general health, sources of support, activity level, and medical care, and complete activities that involve memory, language, and other mental abilities such as attention and concentration. These questionnaires and activities will need to be completed three times over a period of two years. Results will be compared between women with and without breast cancer.
Who Can Join
Participants in this study include English-speaking women over age 60 who have breast cancer. Controls include women over age 60 without breast cancer.
Contact
For more information about this study and to see if you can join, please call Andrew Yang at 332-229-1239 or Katherine Medina at 332-229-1138.