Abstract B116: Cognitive performance and cognitive decline following cancer among middle-aged and older adults in the study of Latinos-investigation of neurocognitive aging and HCHS/SOL
Authors: Parada Humberto , Pichardo Margaret , Gallo Linda C. , Penedo Frank J. , Lee David J. , Talavera Gregory A. , Gonzalez Hector M. 
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is a frequently reported side-effect of cancer therapies affecting attention, concentration, memory, and executive function. However, the long-term impacts of cancer and its treatments on cognitive function and cognitive decline in Hispanics/Latinos is unknown. Herein, we examined the associations between a self-reported history of cancer and cognitive test performance cross-sectionally and longitudinally among middle-aged and older Hispanic/Latino adults. METHODS: Participants included 9,639 Hispanic/Latino adults [mean age=56.4 (SE=0.14); 54.7% female] of diverse backgrounds [30.8% Mexican, 27.2% Cuban, and 18.1% Puerto Rican; 10.0% Central American; 9.0% Dominican; and 7% South American] from the population-based, prospective, multi-site Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. At enrollment in 2008-2011 (Visit 1), participants self-reported their history of cancer (yes/no) and cancer site(s). Cognitive function was assessed at Visit 1 and again at a 7-year follow-up assessment (Visit 2) using the Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (BSEVLT-Sum, episodic learning; and BSEVLT-Recall, memory), the Word Fluency Test (WF, verbal fluency), and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSS, processing speed and executive functioning) via the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA). Changes in cognitive test performance were calculated using survey linear regression models predicting cognitive performance at Visit 2 as a function of Visit 1 cognitive performance with adjustment for time between assessments. Test scores/changes in tests scores were standardized and averaged as composites of global cognition/cognitive change. We used survey linear regression models to estimate the adjusted associations between history of cancer and baseline and longitudinal cognitive test performance. We examined these associations overall and by sex and for the most prevalent sex-specific cancers [i.e., cervical (n=121), breast (n=115), uterine (n=67), and prostate (n=48) cancers]. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, a history of cancer (n=546) versus no history of cancer (n=9,093) was associated with higher WF scores (β=0.13, SE=0.06; P=0.03) and global cognition (β=0.08, SE=0.04; P=0.06) among all participants overall. Among men, but not among women, a history of cancer was associated with longitudinal increases in SEVLT-Sum (β=0.29, SE=0.14; P=0.04; PInteraction=0.04), and SEVLT-Recall (β=0.36, SE=0.15; P=0.02; PInteraction=0.01) scores. Among women, a history of cervical cancer was associated with longitudinal decreases in SEVLT-Recall scores (β=-0.30, SE=0.13; P=0.03) and among men, a history of prostate cancer was associated with higher baseline WF scores (β=0.29, SE=0.12; P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Cancer or its treatments may influence long-term cognition among Hispanics/Latino cancer survivors. The potential impacts of cancer or cancer treatment on cognition may vary by sex or cancer type.

Citation Format: Humberto Parada Jr., Margaret Pichardo, Linda C. Gallo, Frank J. Penedo, David J. Lee, Gregory A. Talavera, Hector M. Gonzalez. Cognitive performance and cognitive decline following cancer among middle-aged and older adults in the study of Latinos-investigation of neurocognitive aging and HCHS/SOL [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B116.