Breast Cancer Survivors May Have Reduced Alzheimer’s Risk
A new study suggests a surprising link: breast cancer survivors might have a slightly lower chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This finding challenges existing assumptions about the long-term cognitive effects of cancer treatments.
Study Findings
Researchers led by Jeong discovered that breast cancer survivors could experience a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. The research examined data from over 70,000 patients from a Korean health insurance database, comparing those who had breast cancer surgery between 2010 and 2016 with a cancer-free control group.
In the breast cancer survivor group, the incidence rate of Alzheimer’s was slightly lower than in the control group, 2.45 versus 2.63 per 1,000 person-years. Survivors demonstrated a slightly reduced risk of Alzheimer’s compared to the cancer-free individuals (subdistribution hazard ratio = 0.92).
“The risk of Alzheimer dementia is a crucial aspect of overall well-being among breast cancer survivors. Concerns about chemobrain and the long-term adverse effects of breast cancer treatment on cognition are common, but our findings suggest that this treatment does not directly lead to Alzheimer dementia.”
—Study Authors
The study also found that radiation therapy was linked to a lower risk. However, other treatments such as hormonal therapies did not appear to have any such association. The Alzheimer’s risk reduction diminished over time, especially after five years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older (CDC, 2024).
Risk Factors
Certain lifestyle choices increased Alzheimer’s risk in breast cancer survivors. These factors included smoking, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. The study authors emphasized the importance of managing these modifiable risk factors alongside standard cancer treatment.
The reduced risk observed in breast cancer survivors changed over time, with the subdistribution hazard ratios approaching 1.00 after more survival time, particularly beyond five years. These findings were consistent across all age groups.
The research suggests that understanding this connection could enhance Alzheimer’s surveillance strategies among breast cancer survivors. Further research is likely to explore the mechanisms behind this unexpected relationship.
