Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment can lead to longer term cognitive and emotional vulnerability, making the ability to efficiently adapt to setbacks critical. Whilst cancer-related cognitive impairments (CRCI) are often reported amongst breast cancer survivors, investigation into the capacity to efficiently process errors is limited. The present study investigated the neurocognitive correlates of cognitive-control related performance monitoring, an important function influencing behavioural adjustment to mistakes. 62 participants (30 Breast Cancer Survivors, 32 Non-Cancer) completed a modified flanker task designed to challenge response inhibition as we measured neurocognitive indices of performance monitoring (ERN, the error-related negativity; CRN, the correct-response negativity; Pe, the error positivity). Findings indicated a blunted CRN and larger ∆ERN in the breast cancer survivors compared to the non-cancer group, in the absence of performance effects. This was followed by a larger Pe in the breast cancer survivors' group, indicating an exaggerated performance monitoring response. For women affected by breast cancer, findings suggest an early disrupted neural response to monitoring cognitive performance, followed by the requirement for more effortful processing in the conscious response to errors, indicating deficits in neurocognitive efficiency. These findings have important implications for developing cognitive rehabilitation programmes for breast cancer survivors affected by cognitive dysfunction to assist in the monitoring and adjustment of performance required to meet established goals in the face of adversity.

乳腺癌的诊断和治疗会导致长期的认知和情感脆弱性，因此有效适应挫折的能力至关重要。虽然经常在乳腺癌幸存者中报告与癌症相关的认知障碍 (CRCI)，但对有效处理错误的能力的调查是有限的。本研究调查了认知控制相关性能监测的神经认知相关性，这是影响对错误的行为调整的重要功能。62 名参与者（30 名乳腺癌幸存者，32 名非癌症患者）完成了一项改进的侧卫任务，旨在挑战反应抑制，因为我们测量了性能监测的神经认知指数（ERN，错误相关的消极性；CRN，正确反应的消极性；Pe，错误积极性）。结果表明，在没有表现影响的情况下，与非癌症组相比，乳腺癌幸存者的 CRN 变钝且 ΔERN 较大。紧随其后的是乳腺癌幸存者组中较大的 Pe，表明表现监测反应过大。对于受乳腺癌影响的女性，研究结果表明，对监测认知表现的早期神经反应被破坏，随后需要更加努力地处理对错误的有意识反应，这表明神经认知效率存在缺陷。这些发现对于为受认知功能障碍影响的乳腺癌幸存者制定认知康复计划具有重要意义，以帮助监测和调整在逆境中实现既定目标所需的表现。