Retrospective cohort study of risk of Alzheimer disease among breast cancer survivors

Cancer-related cognitive impairment is a common concern after breast cancer treatment. However, the association between breast cancer survivorship and the risk of Alzheimer dementia (AD) is unclear. A retrospective cohort study in South Korea included 70,701 breast cancer survivors matched 1:3 with cancer-free controls. Breast cancer survivors had an 8% lower risk of AD compared with controls, although the risk reduction did not persist beyond 5 years. Among the survivors, radiation therapy was associated with lower AD risk.The authors conclude that breast cancer survivors have a lower risk of AD compared with cancer-free individuals, potentially influenced by cancer treatment.