Breast cancer survivors may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's in the years after surgery, according to international research. To investigate concerns around loss of brain function after cancer, the researchers took data on 70,000 Korean breast cancer surgery patients and compared it with about 140,000 people of a similar demographic who did not have breast cancer, following up for an average of just over seven years. The researchers say the breast cancer survivors were slightly less likely to develop Alzheimer's during the study, with this reduced risk only apparent in the first five years of cancer survival. The researchers say it's possible certain cancer treatments have some sort of impact on Alzheimer's risk.
Journal/conference: JAMA Network Open
Research: Paper
Organisation/s: Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea
About The Study: This cohort study of breast cancer survivors found a lower risk of Alzheimer dementia (AD) compared with cancer-free controls, despite common concerns about cognitive decline after treatment. The findings suggest certain cancer treatments potentially have benefits for lower AD risk. Further research is needed to assess the long-term risk of AD in this population.
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