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Chemobrain – the flip side of surviving
cancer
Study shows deterioration in brain function
following breast cancer therapy has negative
effects on quality of life
One of the most problematic side effects of
cancer treatment, chemobrain – a range of
symptoms including memory loss, inability to
concentrate, difficulty thinking and other
subtle cognitive changes following
chemotherapy – seriously diminishes women’s
quality of life and daily functioning.
As a result, they have to adopt a range of
coping strategies to manage their restricted
social and professional lives.
Breast cancer survivors tell their story in
a descriptive study1 of
the effects that cognitive impairment has on
women’s work, social networks and dealings
with the health care profession. Dr. Saskia
Subramanian from the UCLA Center for Culture
and Health in the US and her colleagues have
just published their work online in
Springer’s Journal
of Cancer Survivorship.
An increasing number of women survive breast
cancer, yet survival comes at a price. Mild
cognitive impairment following chemotherapy,
known as “chemobrain” or “chemofog” is one
of the most commonly reported post-treatment
symptoms by breast cancer survivors.
Dr. Subramanian and colleagues’ work shows
that this deterioration in brain function
has devastating effects on breast cancer
survivors’ quality of life.
Through a combination of focus groups and
in-depth interviews among 74 women who had
completed their course of cancer treatment
at least a year earlier, the researchers
gathered data on patients’ medical
background, treatment experience,
post-treatment symptoms, reactions from
medical staff and from family and friends,
self-management, strength of social networks
and their perceptions of themselves.
The women described a variety of cognitive
changes which they found both frustrating
and upsetting.
Some were less able to retain material or to
digest new information and recognized that
they were not functioning as they once did.
Others faced reduced independence, becoming
limited in their ability to manage certain
responsibilities or get around.
These changes made women feel scared,
dependent and emotionally drained. For some,
coping meant having to cut back on work and
social activities.
Others
had more or less accepted the limitations
put on their lives and resigned themselves
to a diminished cognitive capacity.
The majority of women complained about the
lack of acknowledgement from the medical
community when they mentioned their
chemobrain symptoms.
Many women wished they had received some
warning and only a few got answers from
their physicians.
Some women felt that chemobrain confused
their families and friends, and young
children in particular.
Chemobrain also affected women’s performance
at work. Because they were less able to
focus, duties became more difficult and
often took longer. This affected their
efficiency and reduced their chances of
promotion or assignment to projects.
The authors conclude: “These data underscore
the very serious ways in which chemobrain
can affect the life experiences of cancer
survivors – emotionally, psychologically and
economically.
"A
clear understanding of the cognitive
impairments experienced by survivors will
aid researchers in developing targeted
therapies and interventions aimed at
improving or mitigating these post-treatment
side effects.”
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