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Photo by Rhoda Baer
A type of cognitive behavioral therapy may help prevent some of the long-term memory issues caused by chemotherapy, according to research published in Cancer.
The therapy is called “Memory and Attention Adaptation Training” (MAAT).
It’s designed to help cancer survivors increase awareness of situations where memory problems can arise and develop skills to either prevent memory failure or compensate for memory dysfunction.
MAAT was developed by Robert Ferguson, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pennsylvania, and his colleagues.
The researchers tested MAAT in a small, randomized study of 47 Caucasian breast cancer survivors who were an average of 4 years post-chemotherapy.
The patients were assigned to 8 visits of MAAT (30 to 45 minutes each visit) or supportive talk therapy for an identical time span. The intent of the supportive therapy was to control for the simple effects of interacting with a supportive clinician, or “behavioral placebo.”
Both treatments were delivered over a videoconference network between health centers to minimize patient travel.
All participants completed questionnaires assessing perceived memory difficulty and anxiety about memory problems. They were also tested over the phone with neuropsychological tests of verbal memory and processing speed, or the ability to automatically and fluently perform relatively easy cognitive tasks.
Participants were evaluated again after the 8 MAAT and supportive therapy videoconference visits, as well as 2 months after the conclusion of these therapies.
Compared with participants who received supportive therapy, MAAT participants reported significantly fewer memory problems (P=0.02) and improved processing speed post-treatment (P=0.03).
MAAT participants also reported less anxiety about cognitive problems compared with supportive therapy participants 2 months after MAAT concluded, but this was not a statistically significant finding.
“This is what we believe is the first randomized study with an active control condition that demonstrates improvement in cognitive symptoms in breast cancer survivors with long-term memory complaints,” Dr Ferguson said. “MAAT participants reported reduced anxiety and high satisfaction with this cognitive behavioral, non-drug approach.”
“Because treatment was delivered over videoconference device, this study demonstrates MAAT can be delivered electronically and survivors can reduce or eliminate travel to a cancer center. This can improve access to survivorship care.”
Dr Ferguson also noted that more research on MAAT is needed using a larger number of individuals with varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds and multiple clinicians delivering treatment. 
patient and her father
Photo by Rhoda Baer
A type of cognitive behavioral therapy may help prevent some of the long-term memory issues caused by chemotherapy, according to research published in Cancer.
The therapy is called “Memory and Attention Adaptation Training” (MAAT).
It’s designed to help cancer survivors increase awareness of situations where memory problems can arise and develop skills to either prevent memory failure or compensate for memory dysfunction.
MAAT was developed by Robert Ferguson, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pennsylvania, and his colleagues.
The researchers tested MAAT in a small, randomized study of 47 Caucasian breast cancer survivors who were an average of 4 years post-chemotherapy.
The patients were assigned to 8 visits of MAAT (30 to 45 minutes each visit) or supportive talk therapy for an identical time span. The intent of the supportive therapy was to control for the simple effects of interacting with a supportive clinician, or “behavioral placebo.”
Both treatments were delivered over a videoconference network between health centers to minimize patient travel.
All participants completed questionnaires assessing perceived memory difficulty and anxiety about memory problems. They were also tested over the phone with neuropsychological tests of verbal memory and processing speed, or the ability to automatically and fluently perform relatively easy cognitive tasks.
Participants were evaluated again after the 8 MAAT and supportive therapy videoconference visits, as well as 2 months after the conclusion of these therapies.
Compared with participants who received supportive therapy, MAAT participants reported significantly fewer memory problems (P=0.02) and improved processing speed post-treatment (P=0.03).
MAAT participants also reported less anxiety about cognitive problems compared with supportive therapy participants 2 months after MAAT concluded, but this was not a statistically significant finding.
“This is what we believe is the first randomized study with an active control condition that demonstrates improvement in cognitive symptoms in breast cancer survivors with long-term memory complaints,” Dr Ferguson said. “MAAT participants reported reduced anxiety and high satisfaction with this cognitive behavioral, non-drug approach.”
“Because treatment was delivered over videoconference device, this study demonstrates MAAT can be delivered electronically and survivors can reduce or eliminate travel to a cancer center. This can improve access to survivorship care.”
Dr Ferguson also noted that more research on MAAT is needed using a larger number of individuals with varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds and multiple clinicians delivering treatment.
patient and her father
Photo by Rhoda Baer
A type of cognitive behavioral therapy may help prevent some of the long-term memory issues caused by chemotherapy, according to research published in Cancer.
The therapy is called “Memory and Attention Adaptation Training” (MAAT).
It’s designed to help cancer survivors increase awareness of situations where memory problems can arise and develop skills to either prevent memory failure or compensate for memory dysfunction.
MAAT was developed by Robert Ferguson, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pennsylvania, and his colleagues.
The researchers tested MAAT in a small, randomized study of 47 Caucasian breast cancer survivors who were an average of 4 years post-chemotherapy.
The patients were assigned to 8 visits of MAAT (30 to 45 minutes each visit) or supportive talk therapy for an identical time span. The intent of the supportive therapy was to control for the simple effects of interacting with a supportive clinician, or “behavioral placebo.”
Both treatments were delivered over a videoconference network between health centers to minimize patient travel.
All participants completed questionnaires assessing perceived memory difficulty and anxiety about memory problems. They were also tested over the phone with neuropsychological tests of verbal memory and processing speed, or the ability to automatically and fluently perform relatively easy cognitive tasks.
Participants were evaluated again after the 8 MAAT and supportive therapy videoconference visits, as well as 2 months after the conclusion of these therapies.
Compared with participants who received supportive therapy, MAAT participants reported significantly fewer memory problems (P=0.02) and improved processing speed post-treatment (P=0.03).
MAAT participants also reported less anxiety about cognitive problems compared with supportive therapy participants 2 months after MAAT concluded, but this was not a statistically significant finding.
“This is what we believe is the first randomized study with an active control condition that demonstrates improvement in cognitive symptoms in breast cancer survivors with long-term memory complaints,” Dr Ferguson said. “MAAT participants reported reduced anxiety and high satisfaction with this cognitive behavioral, non-drug approach.”
“Because treatment was delivered over videoconference device, this study demonstrates MAAT can be delivered electronically and survivors can reduce or eliminate travel to a cancer center. This can improve access to survivorship care.”
Dr Ferguson also noted that more research on MAAT is needed using a larger number of individuals with varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds and multiple clinicians delivering treatment.