Submitted by Dr.Kattlove’s Cancer Blog

What is “chemobrain”?

“Chemobrain” is another side effect of chemotherapy, which has only recently been recognized. It develops in some people after they have had chemotherapy. Their major complaint is that they have trouble thinking clearly. Most of the studies have been in women who have received chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery. The main finding in these women has been trouble with memory although other problems have also been described. The existence of “chemobrain” is still not settled, because some of these symptoms may actually be caused by the cancer itself. Some people with cancer have been shown to have memory problems even before they receive chemotherapy.

But, more and more, doctors are recognizing the fact that “chemobrain” is real. Careful testing of memory and other brain functions have shown that women who receive chemotherapy after curative surgery for breast cancer will have definite changes in their though processes. And special studies such as MRIs and PET scans have confirmed that there is something wrong, compared to normal people. When the women are asked to think or remember something, the wrong areas of the brain show too much activity while the areas supposed to show activity, seem to be turned down.

This memory problem doesn’t go away very quickly. One study found changes as far out as 5-10 years after the chemotherapy. So what to do? The first step is to recognize it. Not everyone develops this problem and of those that do, many aren’t bothered. But if you need your memory to be first rate, especially if you are in a high-functioning job, help is available.

Doctors have reported successful treatment of women with this condition. No they didn’t fix their brains. But what they did do was train the women to deal with their losses. This was all done at a rehabilitation unit. The procedure was called Memory and Adaptation Training. Basically the women were given memory training and taught how to recognize situations that needed extra efforts. Relaxation training was also included. The women would attend sessions where they received their training and then would practice between visits.

All in all, the program succeeded. At the end of 6 months, the women were able to function better and were more satisfied with their lives.

So if you are receiving chemotherapy or have received it – this is something to think about.

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