In Regard to Fuller et al.

Abstract

To the Editor: Fuller et al.( 1 Fuller C.D. Schillerstrom J.E. Jones W.E. et al. Prospective evaluation of pretreatment executive cognitive impairment and depression in patients referred for radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2008; 70: 1263-1271 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (172) Google Scholar ) recently reported a relatively high prevalence of cognitive impairment among 122 sequentially referred patients presenting for oncologic radiotherapy. Notably, 43% exhibited executive impairment, using either the Executive Interview ( 2 Royall D.R. Mahurin R.K. Gray K. Bedside assessment of executive cognitive impairment: The Executive Interview (EXIT). J Am Geriatr Soc. 1992; 40: 1221-1226 PubMed Google Scholar ) or an executive clock drawing task (CLOX1) ( 3 Royall D.R. Cordes J. Polk M.J. CLOX: An executive clock-drawing task. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1998; 64: 588-594 Crossref PubMed Scopus (661) Google Scholar ). Additionally, 18% exhibited visuospatial impairment on CLOX2 (a clock copying task that is not sensitive to executive function). Finally, 19% scored in the clinically depressed range on the Geriatric Depression Scale ( 4 Sheikh J.I. Yesavage J.A. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): Recent evidence and development of a shorter version. in: Brink T.L. Clinical gerontology: a guide to assessment and intervention. Haworth Press, New York1986: 165-173 Google Scholar ).