Chemobrain - " The Flip Side Of Surviving Cancer

Do doctors "fudge" on the truth with all patients, or is it only those of us who get cancer?

I ask that because I took a class in pediatric neuropsychology. In that class I learned that it's extremely common for pediatric cancer survivors to have problems such as learning disabilities after treatment that were not there before. This has been known for decades.

So it can't *possibly* be a surprise to doctors that this happens to adults as well.

Since they know, they should be telling us FRANKLY what the REAL risks are. These are serious outcomes they talked about in the article -- struggles at work, losing out on promotions and assignments -- how can we make intelligent decisions regarding our treatment if we're kept in the dark about important things?

It's good to see the resurgence of chemotherapy side effect research. They need to help raise consciousness about the subject of Chemo Brain. All those cancer patients ignored or just plain ridiculed all these years. Chemo Brain is part of the language now and just to have it acknowledged makes a difference. The choice of researchers to integrate promising insights and methods remains an essential component of new paradigms of cancer treatment.

Gdp who was ignored or ridiculed??? Where do you get this stuff??

Those doctors are trying to save people's lives. Unfortunately they think that by not giving full disclosure about the saide effects, people will be more likely to choose treatments likely to save their lives.

I was lucky. I didn't get "chemobrain." But I have had huge, negative side effects from an aromotase inhisibor. Before you start ranting that the doctor is putting me through this because he makes money, I'm basically "comped" at the oncologist's office and I get the AI for free.

Knowledge about "chemo brain" has been around for years. The nurses talked about even though no oncologist I saw (three) did.

It's brilliant that you realize that reserchers are looking at new approaches. I'm sure no one knew that.

Why that dig? Because once again you are trying to present yourself as an expert without supporting it with any kind of credentials.

People, ask your doctor about "chemo brain" before you start chemo, and don't accept platitudes or vague statements. However, if statistically you're a good candidate, it might be time to risk it. My risk of a recurrence went from 40% to 10% with chemotherapy, and I am here to say that not everyone gets chemobrain. I feel fine and live a full and active life. I've continued to learn complex new information. I have no complaints.

But it can happen, and you should be told ahead of time. There are many different forms of chemotherapy and the side effects vary from treatment to treatment.

I completed chemo for breast cancer 2 years ago. How long can I blame my lack of motivation, forgetfulness, and occasional fogginess on chemo brain?

MJR as long as it exists in you. Were you like that before you had chemotherapy?

I think a huge burden is put on people who have had cancer sometimes. People want to treat us as having special traits (determination, courage, all sorts of things) that we may not possess. Then it's easy to feel guilty if we fall short in some way.

Having cancer should not mean that we now have to meet the unrealistic expectations of others.

There are many reasons as to why chemobrain may occur. One is that some types of chemotherapy can cross the blood/brain barrier. Another is that the cognitive problems are created by free radicals, the toxic elements that many types of chemotherapy produce. And yet another is that some people have a genetic background that makes them more susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy. Most likely it is not just one factor but many factors that combine to set the stage for chemobrain to occur.

According to studies by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, even standard-dose chemotherapy can negatively impact the cognitive functioning of cancer survivors up to 10 years after treatment. Reports of depression, anxiety, and fatigue, all of which can affect cognitive functioning, suggests that the differences in performance on cognitive tests were due to the chemotherapy itself, not to greater levels of depression, anxiety, and fatigue in patients who received chemotherapy.

Yes, OF COURSE "standard dose" can cause it. That's what most people get.

Of course there's all sorts of speculation about the course. And of course people vary; some people get it; some do not; and some are more strongly affected than others.

IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF CHEMOTHERAPY. There are many different kinds, but this side effect is particularly common among those treated with chemotherapy with breast cancer.

You're right. It's not due to depression. That's been controlled for.

That's what the article was saying, gdp -- that it's the chemocherapy.