Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37755680›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2025

The course of self-perceived cognitive functioning among patients with lymphoma and the co-occurrence with fatigue and psychological distress.

Afke Ekels, Simone Oerlemans, Sanne B Schagen, Djamila E Issa, Noortje Thielen, Marten R Nijziel, Marjolein W M van der Poel, Lindy P J Arts, Eduardus F M Posthuma, Lonneke V van de Poll-Franse

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Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

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5citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Afke EkelsDepartment of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, the Netherlands. a.ekels@IKNL.nl.
Simone OerlemansDepartment of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, the Netherlands. s.oerlemans@IKNL.nl.
Sanne B SchagenDivision of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Djamila E IssaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, S-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
Noortje ThielenDepartment of Internal Medicine, Diakonessenhuis, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Marten R NijzielDepartment of Hemato-Oncology, Catharina Cancer Institute, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Marjolein W M van der PoelDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Lindy P J ArtsDepartment of Psychology, Revalis Clinics, S-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
Eduardus F M PosthumaDepartment of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Lonneke V van de Poll-FranseDepartment of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Funding

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek 480-08-009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo investigate the proportion of patients with lymphoma with persistent clinically relevant cognitive impairment, and its relation to  treatment, fatigue, and psychological distress.

methodsPatients with diffuse-large-B-cell-lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular-lymphoma (FL), and chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia (CLL)/small-lymphocytic-lymphoma (SLL), diagnosed between 2004-2010 or 2015-2019, were followed up to 8 years post-diagnosis. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and the Population-based HAematological Registry for Observational Studies. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was used to assess cognitive functioning and fatigue, and the HADS to assess psychological distress. Individual growth curve models were performed. Results were compared with an age- and sex-matched normative population.

resultsA total of 924 patients were included (70% response rate). Persistent cognitive impairment was twice as high in patients (30%) compared to the normative population (15%). Additionally, 74% of patients reported co-occurring symptoms of persistent fatigue and/or psychological distress. Patients with FL (- 23 points, p < 0.001) and CLL/SLL (- 10 points, p < 0.05) reported clinically relevant deterioration of cognitive functioning, as did the normative population (FLnorm - 5 points, DLBCLnorm - 4 points, both p < 0.05). Younger age, higher fatigue, and/or psychological distress at inclusion were associated with worse cognitive functioning (all p's < 0.01). Treatment appeared less relevant.

conclusionAlmost one-third of patients with lymphoma report persistent cognitive impairment, remaining present up to 8 years post-diagnosis. Early onset and co-occurrence of symptoms highlight the need for clinicians to discuss symptoms with patients early. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Early recognition of cognitive impairment could increase timely referral to suitable supportive care (i.e., lifestyle interventions) and reduce (long-term) symptom burden.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsCognitive DysfunctionFatigueLymphomaPsychological DistressAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCognitionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsCognitionLymphomaPatient-reported outcomePopulation-based registryQuality of life

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.