Breast cancer survivors less likely to develop Alzheimer's in five years post-cancer survival
Researchers from Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea made the discovery when investigating concerns around loss of brain function after cancer.
They compared the data of 70,000 Korean breast cancer surgery patients 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 found survivors were almost 10 per cent less likely to develop the neurodegenerative disease during the study, particularly among survivors older than 65-years-old.
But the reduced risk was only apparent for the first five years of survival.
The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills.
'Concerns about chemobrain and the long-term adverse effects of breast cancer treatment on cognition are common, but our findings suggest that this treatment does not directly lead to AD (Alzheimer dementia),' the study said.
'Understanding the potential protective association of breast cancer on AD can enhance surveillance strategies for AD among these survivors.'
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, also found radiation therapy was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's in breast cancer survivors compared to other therapies.
It opens a new investigation pathway for researchers, who say it's possible certain cancer treatments could have an impact on Alzheimer's risk.
The researchers recommended further studies with long-term observation periods be undertaken to examine the long-term associations between Alzheimer's risk and breast cancer survival.
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