Background: Memory problems and poor concentration have been indicated in some studies among women with breast cancer. Ability to concentrate and ability to remember are important cognitive functions, essential for self-care. Concentration and memory support other cognitive functions such as learning and solving problems. For this reason, they are essential for women facing a life threaten disease such as breast cancer, especially during treatment. Results of studies suggest that breast cancer patients’ cognitive function might be affected by psychosocial problems resulted from the disease and its treatment.

Design:  This is a descriptive and correlational study.

Methods: The study was done in Brazil, among Brazilian women with breast cancer. The sample was composed of 120 women in adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Previous to the study, IRB approval and signed consent form were obtained. Data were collected through interviews. Participants responded to a Symptom Distress Scale and to the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed.Findings: All participants reported some level of impaired concentration and memory. The mean for this symptom was 2.2 (SD = 1.3), in a scale ranging from 0 to 4. Difficulties with concentration and bad memory were reported as causing low to moderate distress and were significantly correlated to psychosocial adjustment (r = 0.30; p = 0.001). Higher levels of distress because of impaired concentration and memory were linearly related to more adjustment problems.

Conclusions: Concentration and memory impairment was associated with psychosocial adjustment. Higher levels of distress caused by this symptom were related to poorer psychosocial adjustment.