The cohort, named NEON-BC (an acronym that results from neuro-oncology and breast cancer), was created with the purpose of quantifying the incidence and prevalence of neurological complications that may arise in breast cancer patients as a consequence of disease progression or as a side effect of oncological treatments.
Participants in the study were assessed at diagnosis and before the start of their treatment, during the first year after diagnosis of the disease, as well as at three and five years after diagnosis.
Since 2012, the prevalence of cognitive decline, neuropathic pain, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and secondary polyneuropathy has been analysed in this cohort of women, seeking to understand how these complications relate to their quality of life, sleep quality, and the prevalence of anxiety and depression.
The cohort aims to contribute to a more accurate characterisation of the overall burden of disease associated with breast cancer and its treatments, and to help develop strategies to minimise the impact of these conditions among survivors.
NEON-BC has been the basis for the development of PhD theses, MSc dissertations and publications in international scientific journals.
Healthcare (Basel), 2022 Mar 31;10(4):661. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10040661.
