According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common among women around the world. Early detection and appropriate treatment have increased survival rates in the affected female population, which is quite an achievement. However, in a large percentage of women treated with chemotherapy, what has been called ‘chemo-brain’ or ‘chemo-fog’ (from the English ‘chemo-brain’ and ‘burn-fog’) is observed. These terms are used to describe the cognitive difficulties observed in up to 35% of patients, who present alterations in their ability to concentrate, organize and plan their daily activities.
To try to compensate for this type of side effect of breast cancer treatment, a team of researchers from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) led by Dr. Patricia Ganz, has developed a mental training program that teaches how to keep your concentration on things or how to improve your memory. All this through a series of exercises and activities, such as remembering a shopping list or planning a family meal.
To test the effects of this cognitive rehabilitation program, an experiment was carried out with a total of 48 women who had undergone chemotherapy to treat breast cancer. A subgroup made up of 32 women underwent mental training while another 16 remained on the waiting list, being considered as the comparison control group. All of them carried out various neuropsychological evaluations : before knowing which group they were assigned to, just after the five weeks that the intervention program lasted and also two months later. In addition, a subgroup of them underwent a quantitative analysis of their electroencephalograms while at rest.
The results are relevant. The researchers found that the group of women who had undergone the training not only reduced their level of cognitive functioning complaints, but also improved their memory test scores, and maintained that improvement two months after treatment. These findings were not seen in the control group. And importantly, changes were also recorded in the brain wave pattern measured with the EEG. According to the study authors, this brain wave pattern normalized in women who trained their abilities with mental exercises.
May this study inspire other scientists and support many of the patients who find that their mental abilities are not the same as before chemotherapy. According to the authors, with proper treatment, these failures could be improved, thereby increasing the quality of life for many women.
Marisa Fernández, Senior Neuropsychologist, Unobrain.
