with chemotherapy, but if it continues- and it certainly is described by many
women as continuing – is there a
long-term impact on the brain and how
do we prevent that from occurring?”
Dr Walker reiterates that cognitive
impairment is one of the key factors that
inhibits people’s ability to get back to
work or perform as well as they used to,
which has a hidden cost that’s estimated
to be around $300,000 to $500,000 per
individual over their lifetime.
This makes managing chemo brain
effectively not just important for
people’s quality of life, but to reduce
the burden on the economy.
future hopes
Dr Walker notes that while chemotherapy
can cause cognitive problems, knowing
that the tumour itself can be responsible
has opened a new avenue for research.
His team discovered that tumour cells
release chemicals that cause brain
inflammation, leading to the cognitive
impairment. They wondered whether
anti-inflammatory drugs might therefore
be helpful, and discovered that aspirin
prevented memory loss from occurring.
The next step is testing whether it
can reverse already established
cognitive impairment.
These findings are “really promising,
given that aspirin is very cheap and
relatively safe for a lot of people”. People
with cancer shouldn’t “start gobbling up
aspirin for this purpose yet,” he cautions.
“We need to do the clinical trials first.”
Funding permitting, trials should be
able to start in the next two to three
years, he says. If they are successful,
the treatment could be available in
five or six years.
Karen wishes these findings had been
around when she was diagnosed, but
says it’s “wonderful to know that people
care enough to work out that chemo
brain is absolutely real... and that
somebody’s doing something about it
to try and help”.Managing chemo brain
»^ Keeping things you need each
day, like phone and keys, in one
place so they are easy to find
»^ Using tech to help you,
such as computer/mobile apps
and reminders
»^ Doing things that encourage
memory such as crosswords
and Sudoku
»^ Writing lists of things you
need to do
»^ Ensuring you get enough rest
and sleep
»^ Taking time out to relax and
do things you enjoy
»^ Getting some exercise
each day.PHOTOGRAPHY
GETTY IMAGES
Plan to do activities that require more
concentration for when you are most alert
Research into effective ways
to manage chemo brain is still
ongoing. Some areas that are
promising include cognitive
behavioural training, exercise-
based interventions and brain
training programs. A 2016
study at the University of
Sydney, for example, found that
participants who used an online
neurocognitive training program
had less cognitive symptoms than
those who received standard
care, but showed no difference
on objective neuropsychological
testing. Meanwhile, there are
strategies you can use to help
you cope with the effects of
chemo brain. These include:»^ Planning to do activities that
require more concentration for
when you are most alert
»^ Discussing the issue with your
family or workplace and seeking
their support or assistance
»^ Doing one thing at a time
instead of multitasking
»^ Setting aside time each day to
read and respond to emails
»^ Letting phone calls go to your
answering machine or voicemail.
You can listen to them when
you’re ready
»^ Carrying a small notepad or
use a voice memo app to record
things you want to remember
»^ Before seeing the doctor,
write down the things you
want to askbe informed
simply be
energised
be inspired