The purposes of this secondary data analysis were to provide clinicians with a tool to predict incidence of cardiovascular disease using the Framingham Risk Score, and to identify cancer treatment-related risk factors that may add to the traditional CVD risk factors in a population of breast and colorectal cancer survivors. 

This work researched the cognitive changes experienced by women with breast cancer who have undergone chemotherapy. The study aimed to explore the “chemo brain” phenomenon and the thoughts and feelings about cognitive functioning as related to quality of life. These findings may be key components to integrate into a cancer survivorship care plan. The vast majority of the symptoms are very similar to those of rehabilitation patients with a brain injury diagnosis or stroke. These patients often are referred to rehabilitation interventions for cognition assessment, exercise, daily activities and workplace re-entry. Other rehabilitation patients have the luxury of having 3-6 weeks of therapy in an outpatient setting to give them the edge to succeed. Cancer survivors with similar deficits routinely get very little intervention of this nature. This study led to closer collaboration with rehab to identify opportunities for earlier intervention with cancer patients in hopes to help with driving, work re-entry and general executive function activities.