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It’s often caused by your chemotherapy medicines, but it can also come from the cancer itself or other problems like infection, low blood counts, fatigue, sleep problems, or stress. Chemo brain can cause thinking and memory problems. Symptoms include trouble with: Finding the right word or doing simple math (like balancing your checkbook)
Does chemo cause memory problems?
- Chemotherapy may affect tooth enamel and increase the risk of long-term dental problems.
- High doses of radiation therapy to the head and neck area may change tooth development. It can also cause gum disease and lower saliva production, causing a dry mouth.
- Steroid medications may increase the risk of eye problems. ...
What are the long term effects of chemotherapy?
So can some types of radiation therapy to the brain and immunotherapy. These cognitive problems may start during or after cancer treatment. Some people notice very small changes, such as a bit more difficulty remembering things, whereas others have much greater memory or concentration problems.
Does radiation treatment affect memory?
Some studies have suggest that chemotherapy has toxic effects on the brain that mimic the effects of aging. But that doesn’t explain why some people experience cognitive difficulties before chemotherapy, or why patients who receive other forms of treatment, such as radiation or hormonal changes, also report them.
Can chemo affect the brain?
How long does chemo affect your memory?
Does chemobrain ever go away? For most patients, chemobrain improves within 9-12 months after completing chemotherapy, but many people still have symptoms at the six-month mark.
Can chemotherapy cause forgetfulness?
Chemo brain is a sort of mental fog that affects a patient's overall cognitive function. Symptoms are subtle and often go unnoticed by loved ones. Chemo brain symptoms include: Mild forgetfulness.
Can chemo bring on dementia?
Delirium may occur suddenly during treatment. Delirium usually happens after an identified cause, such as chemotherapy, and it is often reversible. Dementia due to cancer treatment comes on gradually over time and usually after treatment is completed.
Does chemo affect brain memory?
Chemo brain can cause thinking and memory problems. Symptoms include trouble with: Concentrating and paying attention. Remembering names, dates, and everyday things.
What is chemo brain like?
Most define it as a decrease in mental “sharpness” and describe it as being unable to remember certain things and having trouble finishing tasks, concentrating on something, or learning new skills.
What helps with chemo brain?
Try crossword puzzles or number games to exercise your brain. Take up a new hobby or master a new skill, such as learning to play a musical instrument or learning a language. Exercise your body. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can help you cope with stress, fatigue and depression.
Does chemo change your personality?
Coping with Chemo Brain Emotional and mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, stress, and having trouble sleeping can add to that foggy feeling. Chemo brain can also intensify feelings of frustration or anger. That's OK.
Does chemo make you confused?
Chemotherapy may cause confusion due to metabolic changes or damage to nerve cells. While any cancer treatments can cause side effects in some patients, some are more likely than others (see table 1).
What are the long term side effects of chemotherapy?
What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Chemotherapy?Cognitive difficulties.Hearing problems.Heart problems.Increased risk of blood cancers.Lung problems.Nerve damage.Reproductive changes.Duration.
Does chemo destroy brain cells?
Chemotherapy damages brain cells, according to two studies published this week, leading to memory loss and confusion in cancer patients — and possibly permanent damage in young children.
Which chemo drugs cause chemo brain?
Anthracycline-based chemotherapy has been found to release more proinflammatory cytokines, causing increased neuroinflammation that may be to blame. Another avenue of interest might be the effects of oxidative stress on the brain.
What are the long term effects of chemotherapy?
What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Chemotherapy?Cognitive difficulties.Hearing problems.Heart problems.Increased risk of blood cancers.Lung problems.Nerve damage.Reproductive changes.Duration.
Can chemotherapy cause neurological problems?
Chemotherapy agents can result in toxicity to the nervous system. Peripheral neuropathy is the most common complication noted with a variety of chemotherapy agents.
Can chemo brain cause personality changes?
Emotional and mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, stress, and having trouble sleeping can add to that foggy feeling. Chemo brain can also intensify feelings of frustration or anger. That's OK.
How to help someone with memory problems?
It’s important for you or a family member to tell your health care team if you have difficulty remembering things, thinking, or concentrating. Here are some steps you can take to manage minor memory or concentration problems: 1 Plan your day. Do things that need the most concentration at the time of day when you feel best. Get extra rest and plenty of sleep at night. If you need to rest during the day, short naps of less than 1 hour are best. Long naps can make it more difficult to sleep at night. Keep a daily routine. 2 Exercise your body and mind. Exercise can help to decrease stress and help you to feel more alert. Exercise releases endorphins, also known as "feel-good chemicals,"which give people a feeling of well-being. Ask what light physical exercises may be helpful for you. Mind–body practices such as meditation or mental exercises such as puzzles or games also help some people. 3 Get help to remember things. Write down and keep a list handy of important information. Use a daily planner, recorder, or other electronic device to help you remember important activities. Make a list of important names and phone numbers. Keep it in one place so it’s easy to find.
What to do if you have difficulty remembering things?
Here are some steps you can take to manage minor memory or concentration problems: Plan your day .
How to remember things?
Get help to remember things. Write down and keep a list handy of important information. Use a daily planner, recorder, or other electronic device to help you remember important activities. Make a list of important names and phone numbers . Keep it in one place so it’s easy to find.
Can cancer cause cognitive problems?
These cognitive problems may start during or after cancer treatment. Some people notice very small changes, such as a bit more difficulty remembering things, whereas others have much greater memory or concentration problems.
Can chemo cause memory problems?
Whether you have memory or concentration problems (sometimes described as a mental fog or chemo brain) depends on the type of treatment you receive, your age, and other health-related factors. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy may cause difficulty with thinking, concentrating, or remembering things. So can some types of radiation therapy to the brain and immunotherapy.
What Is Chemo Brain?
Chemotherapy can help you fight cancer, but side effects are almost certain. It’s common for you to have a cloudy mind, called "chemo brain ," during and after treatment. Maybe you have a hard time remembering names or can’t multitask as well as you used to.
Why do people with cancer not feel sharp?
It’s often caused by your chemotherapy medicines, but it can also come from the cancer itself or other problems like infection, low blood counts, fatigue, sleep problems, or stress.
Does cancer cause changes in the brain?
You’re not just imagining this. Studies show that cancer and its treatment causes changes in the brain.
Does chemotherapy help with cancer?
Chemotherapy can help you fight cancer, but side effects are almost certain. It’s common for you to have a cloudy mind, called "chemo brain ," during and after treatment. Maybe you have a hard time remembering names or can’t multitask as well as you used to.
How to get rid of chemo brain?
There are things you can do to try to reduce the impact of "chemo brain" on your everyday life: 1 Minimize distractions when you need to complete tasks. 2 Use a daily organizer to help you remember appointments. 3 Record reminders on your answering machine. 4 Make lists of tasks you need to do and cross them off when you complete them. 5 Get plenty of sleep. 6 Let your friends and family know if you are having trouble thinking and remembering. They can help by reminding you of important events and appointments.
How long does chemo brain last?
However, for some patients, "chemo brain" can continue for years after treatment has stopped.
What is the hope of the doctor when she is near the end of chemotherapy?
Her doctor tells her about chemo's central nervous system side effects. Because she is near the end of treatment, the hope is that these chemo side effects will resolve.
Can chemo cause infection?
Infection can be a serious side effect of strong chemo. Find out the factors that affect your risk of infection. Simply answer a few questions, and then print your results to share with your doctor.
How to manage chemo brain?
Another thing you can do to better manage chemo brain is tell family, friends, and your cancer care team about it. Finding and getting support is important. Let them know what you’re going through. You may feel relieved once you tell people about the problems you sometimes have with your memory or thinking.
What is chemo brain?
Most define it as a decrease in mental “sharpness” and describe it as being unable to remember certain things and having trouble finishing tasks, concentrating on something, or learning new skills. Even though its exact cause isn’t known, it can happen at any time when you have cancer.
How to help cancer patients cope with cognitive problems?
Meditation: Meditation can help improve brain function by increasing your focus and awareness. Talk to your cancer care team about these treatment suggestions and other options they may recommend to help you cope with any cognitive problems.
What is the term for the mental cloudiness of cancer patients?
This cloudiness or mental change is commonly referred to as chemo brain . Doctors and researchers may call chemo brain many things, such as cancer treatment-related cognitive impairment, cancer-related cognitive change, or post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment. The word "cognitive" refers to the way your brain works to help you communicate, think, learn, solve problems, and remember.
What are some examples of chemo brain?
Here are some examples of what patients with chemo brain may experience: Forgetting things that they usually have no trouble remembering (memory lapses) Trouble concentrating (they can’t focus on what they’re doing, have a short attention span, may easily “space out”)
What are the symptoms of cancer?
Other conditions or illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Having other symptoms like tiredness, pain, or sleep problems.
Can chemo cause brain damage?
Chemo brain is most commonly connected with chemotherapy, but other treatments, such as hormone therapy, radiation, and surgery may be associated with it also. These treatments can cause short-term, long-term, or delayed mental changes or cognitive problems. Beyond the chemo brain symptoms that start during and just after treatment, there are some cases where chemo brain symptoms start and continue after treatment is over. Some people with cancer have very real brain problems even though they haven’t had chemo.
What body systems are most affected by chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy drugs can affect any body system, but the following are most susceptible: digestive tract . hair follicles. bone marrow. mouth. reproductive system. It’s worth understanding how these cancer drugs can affect your major body systems.
Why is blood count important for chemo?
Routine blood count monitoring is a crucial part of chemotherapy. That’s because the drugs can harm cells in the bone marrow, where red blood cells are produced. Without enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues, you may experience anemia.
How does the kidney work during chemotherapy?
The kidneys work to excrete the powerful chemotherapy drugs as they move through your body. In the process, some kidney and bladder cells can become irritated or damaged.
How long does it take for hair to grow after chemo?
Hair loss can occur anywhere on the body, from eyebrows and eyelashes to your legs. Hair loss is temporary. New hair growth usually begins several weeks after the final treatment.
Does chemotherapy cause hot flashes?
Sexual and reproductive system. Chemotherapy drugs are known to alter hormones in both men and women. In women, hormonal changes can bring on hot flashes, irregular periods, or sudden onset of menopause. You may experience dryness of vaginal tissues that can make intercourse uncomfortable or painful.
Does chemo cause bone loss?
Most people lose some bone mass as they age, but with chemo, some drugs increase this loss by causing calcium levels to drop. Cancer-related osteoporosis tends to affect women more than men, especially post-menopausal women and those whose menopause was brought on suddenly due to chemotherapy.
Does chemotherapy affect digestion?
Some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy affect digestion. Dry mouth and mouth sores that form on the tongue, lips, gums, or in the throat can make it difficult to chew and swallow. Mouth sores also make you more susceptible to bleeding and infection.
What kind of doctor can help with memory issues after chemo?
For more complex cognitive processing issues, patients may benefit from working with a neuropsychologist, occupational therapist or a speech language pathologist. Certain medications may also help with memory issues after chemotherapy.
How many cancer patients have cognitive side effects?
One review of studies found that up to 75% of cancer patients experienced cognitive side effects during treatment, and in 35% patients, those effects continued after treatment ended. A smaller percentage of patients reported some cognitive effects even before treatment began.
What is the brain fog that affects cancer survivors?
Chemo brai n, more formally referred to as chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment, is a mental fog that can affect cancer survivors’ memory, attention and ability to process information. And it’s quite common.
What are some ways to improve your brain?
Labeling cabinets or drawers in the house where important items are stored. Regularly performing light physical activity, which studies show can benefit the brain.
Can chemotherapy cause cognitive impairment?
But over the last few decades, researchers and cancer doctors have increasingly understood that many cancer patients also experience significant and frustrating cognitive, or mental, side effects from cancer treatment. Chemo brai n, more formally referred to as chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment, is a mental fog that can affect cancer ...
Does chemo affect the brain?
Unfortunately, it’s not exactly clear why many people experience chemo brain. Some studies have suggest that chemotherapy has toxic effects on the brain that mimic the effects of aging. But that doesn’t explain why some people experience cognitive difficulties before chemotherapy, or why patients who receive other forms of treatment, such as radiation or hormonal changes, also report them.
Does cancer get better with time?
For most people, the mental fogginess that comes with cancer treatment gets better with time . But Dr. Kruse underscores the importance that patients talk with their primary care doctor and oncologist if they notice these changes.
What can be used to improve memory after cancer?
“Medications such as neurostimulants and anti-aging drugs may be used in conjunction with lifestyle interventions to improve memory and cognition after cancer treatments. Speak with your doctor about these options.
How to help with cancer?
Meditation and various relaxation techniques can also be helpful to improve sleep. Good nutrition. A diet rich in antioxidants can be helpful in minimizing cancer therapy-related damage to brain cells and unwanted cognitive side effects from cancer therapy. Therefore, enriching your diet with fruits and vegetables, ...
Why is neurocognitive rehabilitation important?
A thorough neurological evaluation can be helpful in identifying areas of brain functioning that can be improved with specialized neurocognitive rehabilitation programs. Many patients benefit from this type of rehab as part of their cancer treatment.
What causes slowed thinking?
For example, endocrine disorders (such as thyroid abnormalities), vitamin deficiencies, sleep deprivation, or depression should all be ruled out (or treated), as these conditions can cause changes in memory and slowed thinking.
What are the symptoms of cancer?
There’s hope and many things you can do. Some of the most common symptoms experienced by cancer patients are memory problems, difficulties with multitasking, and reduced attention and concentration. Historically, cancer patients with these symptoms were often diagnosed with depression. Research over the past decade has revealed ...
Does chemotherapy affect memory?
While radiation to the brain has long been linked to causing cognitive difficulties, the effects of chemotherapy on brain structure and function have only recently been discovered. We now know that the majority of patients treated for cancer, including breast, lung, colon, and many other cancer types, experience difficulties with memory, multitasking, cognitive processing speed, attention, and concentration as a consequence of their treatment. The good news is that such symptoms may slowly improve over time in most patients.
Can cancer cause depression?
Historically, cancer patients with these symptoms were often diagnosed with depression. Research over the past decade has revealed that many cancer patients experience such symptoms as a consequence of specific damage to the brain caused by either their tumor or their treatment. While radiation to the brain has long been linked to causing cognitive ...
How did they measure the long term effects of chemo?
To measure the potential long-term effects of chemo brain, they measured how chemotherapy impacted learning and memory. Additionally, they charted the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus – a part of the brain important in memory, among other roles. The mice were put through their paces using a Morris Water Maze.
How many women have chemo brain?
A review that looked at the prevalence of chemo brain estimated that it affects 17-50 percent of female breast cancer survivors. Although research has established chemo brain as a genuine consequence of chemotherapy, there are still many questions that need to be answered. One such question asks how long chemo brain is likely to last.
What is the current study on the brain?
The current study is the first to produce an animal model demonstrating the long-term effects of chemotherapy on the brain. In the future, the team hopes that the model will be used to investigate other potential nutritional components and chart their effects on chemo brain.
What is chemo fog?
It affects memory, concentration, and an individual’s ability to multitask, among other reductions in function.
Where was the study of chemo brains conducted?
A study, conducted at the University of Illinois and published in the journal Behavioural Brain Research, set out to investigate the effects of chemo brain over a longer period of time. For this purpose, the team designed a mouse model that will help researchers of the future investigate this problem and, potentially, rectify it.
Does chemo cause cognitive impairment?
Earlier research has shown that the intense physical toll of chemotherapy accounts for the short-term deficits in cognitive ability seen in chemo brain. As Prof. Rhodes says: “The question is, after they completely recover from the acute assault of chemotherapy, many months or years later, do they still have cognitive impairments?”
Who is the lead author of the study on chemo brain?
The study’s lead author, Catarina Rendeiro, worked with a group of researchers across the university, including Justin Rhodes, a psychology professor, and William Helferich, a professor of nutrition. “ Quality of life after chemotherapy is critically important, and chemo brain is significant in these survivors.”.
What are the effects of chemotherapy on the bones?
Skeletal Effects. Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) is the most common late effect of chemotherapy. Most chemotherapy drugs cause bone loss to accelerate and changes in diet that accompany cancer and its treatment can amplify the problem. The greatest concern over the long run are fractures that can result from this bone loss.
Why do you keep a record of your chemotherapy?
Keep a record of your chemotherapy regimen with you in case you see a healthcare provider who is unfamiliar with your medical history.
What Can You Do to Lower Your Risk of Long-Term Side Effects?
Until we know more about long-term survivorship issues following chemotherapy for adults, there are a few things you can do:
How long does it take to get tired after chemo?
Fatigue. During chemotherapy, most people deal with fatigue, yet a third of people continue to experience fatigue for months to years after chemotherapy is completed. It is important to share this symptom with your doctor because many causes of fatigue are reversible.
Can you have both chemotherapy and radiation on your chest?
If you will be having both chemotherapy and radiation therapy to your chest for cancers such as breast cancer, talk to your radiation oncologist about the option for respiratory gating for left-sided breast cancer, a technique that can reduce the amount of radiation to your heart.
Does chemo cause cardiac problems?
Cardiac Concerns. Chemotherapy can cause cardiac effects early in treatment, but in some cases, the effects may not show up until much later. One notable example is heart damage following treatment with Adriamycin (doxorubicin). With this drug, a possible long-term side effect is weakening of the heart muscle, resulting in a decreased ability ...
Can chemotherapy cause numbness in feet?
Peripheral Neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy from chemotherapy is most often experienced as a sensation of numbness and burning in your feet and hands, along with constipation. This side effect occurs more commonly in people with a history of diabetes, alcoholism, or malnutrition, but may occur in anyone.
