Chemo Brain is a Reality

I have been wanting to write about this topic for over a week, but since I didn't write any blogs this past week, this one didn't get written.  I guess today will be the day.

This is from an article in the Orlando Sentinel, dated October 7, and titled " 'Chemo Brain' not just in cancer patients' heads."  It is a report on a large new study done by the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.  Researchers analyzed 17 other studies that looked at cognitive function in breast cancer patients after chemo.  Most of them did have difficulty with finding words and getting lost, far more than women who had not had chemo.  I have definitely had more trouble finding the word I want, but when you are in your 60s, it's not uncommon.  I don't usually get actually lost, but I sometimes forget where I'm going and wind up in the wrong place or miss my turns because I forgot where I was going.

Although many doctors do bring it up as a possible side effect with their patients, many other doctors have been dismissing this as an "old wives tale" or just a side effect of the drugs while you are actually on them.  They have not warned patients that this is a reality or taken their concerns seriously. Most patients do not mention it to their doctors. One patient mentioned in this article said she told her doctor she was having memory problems and his response was, "There's this thing called chemo brain, but I don't believe in it."  I read about it on the internet and heard other women mention it, but I never mentioned to my oncologist in Maryland nor did she bring it up with me.  There has also been no discussion of it down here in Kissimmee.

The lady who mentioned it to her doctor also said that she has trouble finding words and her attention is much shorter. I really related to that.  Finding the right word is becoming more and more of a problem for me, but I also have a much shorter attention span. I used to be able to sit and read books for hours at a time.  Now I can't focus for more than a few pages, so I'm reading far less.  Even having a conversation with someone is difficult.  I often find my mind wandering onto other topics instead of listening.  I've actually caught myself changing the topic in mid-sentence, which is rude if nothing else. 

Although most studies have focused on breast cancer patients, mostly because there is such a huge pool of them, chemo brain is true for survivors of all cancers.  This study is showing that even though not all survivors report cognitive impairment, most do.  Animal studies show that after exposure to chemo drugs their brains have less nerve cells in the memory center.  Interesting, right? Functional MRIs of breast cancer patients that track blood flow to the brain show that survivors are tapping more areas of their brains to perform tasks than those who never had chemo.  It also shows that gray and white matter in the brain are smaller in post-chemo patients.  Geez.  None of that sounds good.

Although scientists are now trying to find ways to help with this problem, like some new drugs to administer with the chemo to prevent it in the first place, most doctors are recommending mental exercises and list-making to help out.  I already make lists, have my whole life, and love them.  Maybe that's why I don't really complain too much about chemo brain.  Except for forgetting the word I want, which I've blamed on my age not chemo, and sometimes forgetting where I'm going or why I went into a room or keeping myself focused on a book or conversation, I'm not doing too badly!  The article does say that survivors are truly grateful that the chemo cured them of cancer and that chemo brain and its effects are a small price to pay for being alive.  I second that!