Introduction/Background Several studies reported that bilateral oophorectomy before menopause is associated with cognitive impairment. However, these studies had methodological limitations. We examined the effect of a premenopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in women at increased risk of ovarian cancer on objective and subjective cognition at least 10 years after RRSO.

Methodology The study population consisted of women (66% BRCA1/2 mutation carriers) who underwent either a premenopausal RRSO ≤ age 45 (n=436) or a postmenopausal RRSO ≥ age 54 (n=205) and were older than 54 years at study. Participants completed an online cognitive test battery and a questionnaire on subjective cognition. We examined the influence of RRSO on objective and subjective cognition of women with a premenopausal RRSO compared to women with a postmenopausal RRSO, using multivariable regression analyses, adjusting for age, education, breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy, depression and cardiovascular risk factors. We performed subgroup analyses comparing an early premenopausal RRSO (RRSO ≤ age 40, recommended to BRCA1 mutation carriers) versus a later premenopausal RRSO (RRSO between ages 41–45, recommended to BRCA2 mutation carriers).

• Download figure
• Open in new tab
• Download powerpoint

Abstract 2022-RA-1488-ESGO Figure 1

Results After adjustment, women with a premenopausal RRSO (mean time since RRSO 18.2 years) performed similarly on objective cognitive tests as women with a postmenopausal RRSO (mean time since RRSO 11.9 years). However, they more frequently reported problems with reasoning (odds ratio (OR) 1.8 (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.1–3.1)) and multitasking (OR 1.9 (95%CI 1.1–3.4)) than women with a postmenopausal RRSO. This difference between groups disappeared in an analysis restricted to women of comparable ages (60–70 years). We found no objective cognitive differences between women with a RRSO between ages 41–45 and women with a RRSO before age 40.

Conclusion Reassuringly, approximately 18 years after RRSO, we found no association between premenopausal RRSO and objective cognition.