Relationship between sleep-related impairment and cognitive functioning among breast cancer survivors
Menée à partir de données portant sur 253 patientes ayant survécu à un cancer du sein (âge moyen : 59 ans), cette étude évalue l'association entre des troubles du sommeil et le fonctionnement cognitif
Purpose: Sleep-related impairment and cancer-related cognitive decline (CRCD) are common, disruptive symptoms affecting breast cancer survivors. This study examined the association between sleep-related impairment and both self-reported and objective cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors following treatment.
Methods: Participants (N = 253) from the I Can! Improving Cognition After Cancer study completed the NIH Toolbox Digit Symbol test to measure Processing Speed and a battery of neurocognitive tests of Memory, Executive Functioning, and Attention domains. Self-reported cognition was assessed with the PROMIS Cognitive Function and Abilities scales. Sleep-related impairment was measured by the PROMIS Sleep-Related Impairment scale. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between sleep-related impairment and the six cognitive outcomes, adjusting for demographic and cancer treatment factors.
Results: Participants were on average 59 (SD = 8.9) years old, majority identified as White (77%) and were college graduates (42%). Fifty-seven percent of participants underwent chemotherapy, 80% received hormone therapy, and 81% were treated with radiation. Greater sleep-related impairment was significantly associated with worse executive function (
β
=
−
0.01, 95% CI:
−
0.022,
−
0.000, p = 0.04), worse cognitive abilities (
β
=
−
0.28, 95% CI:
−
0.375,
−
0.184, p < 0.001), and worse cognitive function (
β
=
−
0.25, 95% CI:
−
0.323,
−
0.167, p < 0.001). No significant associations were observed for memory, attention, or processing Speed.
Conclusion: Greater sleep-related impairment was associated with poorer self-reported cognitive functioning and modest differences in executive functioning among breast cancer survivors, underscoring the importance of addressing sleep-related impairment in this population.
Implications for Cancer Survivors: Assessing sleep-related impairment during survivorship care may help identify survivors experiencing cognitive difficulties and related daytime functional concerns.
Journal of Cancer Survivorship , article en libre accès, 2026