Chemotherapy could cause brain damage in breast cancer patients scientists have warned.
A groundbreaking study discovered that breast cancer patients who had undergone the treatment - which uses medicine to kill cancerous cells - had significantly less activity in parts of the brain responsible for memory and planning compared to those who were not treated.
Researchers from Stanford University believe the findings could explain the phenomenon “chemo brain” - a term used to describe foggy thinking and memory lapses following chemotherapy sessions.
The study involved 25 breast cancer patients who had been treated with chemotherapy, 19 breast cancer patients who had surgery and other treatments, and 18 healthy women.
All were asked to perform a card-sorting task, involving problem-solving skills while their brain activity was monitored through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Each participant was also asked to complete a questionnaire assessing their own cognitive abilities.
The 25 patients who had been treated with chemotherapy, made more errors on the task and the scans revealed reduced activity in parts of the brain responsible for working memory, cognitive control, monitoring and planning.
Lead author Shelli Kesler said: “This shows that when a patient reports she's struggling with these types of problems, there's a good chance there has been a brain change.”
The study, published in the Archives of Neurology supports previous findings, and cancer patients have long complained of neurological side effects such as short-term memory loss and, in extreme cases, vision loss, and even dementia following chemotherapy.