Cancéropôle Nord-Ouest organized a symposium about cancer treatments-induced cognitive impairments, in Paris on November 2016. The symposium gathered almost a hundred of health professionals (clinicians, neuropsychologists, researchers and pharmaceutical representatives).
The meeting objectives were to highlight current knowledge both on clinical and pre-clinical aspects of cognitive troubles in order to better understand and identify impact of cancer treatments on patients’ cognitive functions and to point out possible actions to help patients dealing with those troubles.
Main focuses of the symposium were the evaluation of cognitive dysfunction and cognitive complaint, specificities of high risk populations (elderly, children), the impact of cognitive troubles on quality of life etc. The specific consequences of the different cancer treatments such as brain radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonotherapy or targeted therapies on cognitive functions were also discussed. Animal models are of great importance to highlight neurobiological mechanisms. Needs for future research, for example on cognitive rehabilitation or on methodological issues, were also raised.
