The Memory and Adaptation Training (MAAT) program may be efficacious in the psychological treatment of patients with long-term chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD), according to a study published in Cancer.1
Researchers led by Robert Ferguson, PhD, of the Eastern Maine Medical Center and Lafayette Family Cancer Center in Bangor, ME, looked at 47 survivors of female breast cancer who reported CRCD and were randomly assigned to receive either MAAT or supportive therapy.
Participants were assessed at baseline, after treatment, and at 2 months of follow-up. They completed self-reported measures of cognitive symptoms and quality of life as well as a brief telephone-based neuropsychological assessment.
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The researchers found that patients who participated in MAAT self-reported improvements in perceived cognitive impairments and neuropsychological speed compared to those who underwent supportive therapy.
At 2-month follow-up, a large MAAT effect size was observed with regard to anxiety concerning cognitive problems with medium effects noted in general function, fatigue and anxiety. MAAT and videoconference delivery was rated with high satisfaction among participants.
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“This research is important because it helps to identify a treatment option for survivors that also may improve access to survivorship services,” the authors noted.
Reference
- Ferguson RJ, Sigmon ST, Pritchard AJ, et al. A randomized trial of videoconference-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for survivors of breast cancer with self-reported cognitive dysfunction. [published online ahead of print May 2, 2016.] Cancer. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29891.
