Breast cancer survivors may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers found that breast cancer survivors had an 8% lower risk of Alzheimer’s dementia compared to those who were not diagnosed with cancer.
The study analyzed data from over 70,000 breast cancer survivors and matched them with nearly 180,000 individuals without cancer. The results showed that breast cancer survivors had a significantly reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly after radiation therapy.
The researchers found that the lower risk diminished over time, becoming indistinguishable from those without cancer after five years of survivorship. Radiation therapy was also shown to be significantly associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease among breast cancer survivors.
In contrast, other treatments such as chemotherapy and hormone therapies did not show any statistically significant association with reduced risk. The study suggests that breast cancer survivors may benefit from refined dementia surveillance and the integration of dementia risk management into their care.
While the study provides promising results, it is essential to note that more research is needed to confirm these findings. However, the results offer hope for improved cognitive health outcomes among breast cancer survivors and highlight the importance of continued research in this area.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-surviving-breast-cancer-alzheimer-therapy.html