Anti-cancer drugs 'not responsible for mental decline'

Anti-cancer drugs may not be entirely to blame for the mild mental impairment suffered by some cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a study found.

The findings suggest the forgetfulness and other symptoms associated with so-called “chemobrain” may be caused by cancer itself rather than potent cancer-fighting medicines, researchers said in a study published in the journal Cancer.

In a study of 84 breast cancer patients diagnosed with neurological problems, 35% reported cognitive problems before receiving chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy did cause a mental decline in the other patients.

The study was the first of its kind to find cognitive impairment in cancer patients prior to receiving chemotherapy. Other symptoms of the disorder include difficulty speaking or interacting socially.

In the past, doctors may have assumed all cognitive impairment found after chemotherapy stemmed from anti-cancer drugs because physicians never examined a patient for mental decline prior to treatment, said Dr Christina Myers, professor of neuropsychology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and one of the study’s authors.

“They only looked at one point in time, and any problems they attributed to chemotherapy,” Myers said. “The situation is more complex.”