Contents:
- Medical Video: Chemotherapy and Primary Brain Tumors – What You Need to Know
- Why can chemotherapy interfere with the brain?
- Chemotherapy drugs that often cause disorders of the brain
- What are the effects of chemotherapy on the brain?
- 1. Changes in cognitive abilities (chemo-brain)
- 2. Acute cognitive changes (delirium)
- 3. Chronic cognitive changes (dementia)
- When will this brain change occur?
- How to reduce brain disorders that occur due to chemotherapy?
Medical Video: Chemotherapy and Primary Brain Tumors – What You Need to Know
Chemotherapy is one of the treatments given to cancer patients. The purpose of giving chemotherapy to cancer patients is to kill and stop the growth of cancer cells. The administration of chemotherapy drugs is carried out in two ways, namely oral and infusion. However, the most common is giving intravenously. Chemotherapy drugs will destroy all cells that are growing, not only cancer cells, but other body cells that grow normally will also be destroyed. Therefore, many side effects caused by chemotherapy.One of the bad effects is causing problems in the central nervous system and brain.
Why can chemotherapy interfere with the brain?
It is estimated that 75% of cancer patients experience problems with their central nervous system during their treatment. The other 35% appeared when they finished treatment. Problems and disorders that arise in the brain due to chemotherapy can occur suddenly (acute) or slowly (chronic).
Not all cognitive changes and problems in the nervous system occur in people who are doing chemotherapy. Some risk factors that can cause this to happen are:
- Cancer tissue that grows is in the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord.
- Provision of direct chemotherapy drugs is given to the central nervous system area, not through the vein in the hand or other body parts.
- Underwent chemotherapy and radiation at the same time.
- Giving chemotherapy drugs that are given by injection into the marrow back soon after doing radiation.
READ ALSO: How Do Chemotherapy Fight Cancer?
Chemotherapy drugs that often cause disorders of the brain
Here are the types of chemotherapy drugs that often cause problems in the central nervous system, namely:
- Vinka alkaloids, such as vibblastine and vincristine
- Platinum drugs, such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin
- Taxane drugs, such as docetaxel and paclitaxel
- Cytrabine, ifosfamida, and methotrexate, if given in high doses
What are the effects of chemotherapy on the brain?
Here are various brain disorders that can be caused by chemotherapy
1. Changes in cognitive abilities (chemo-brain)
The former cancer sufferers risk experiencing changes in their cognitive abilities such as the ability to remember, concentrate, and focus after undergoing chemotherapy. This condition is characterized by several symptoms such as:
- Difficulty concentrating and doing several things at the same time (multi-tasking)
- It's hard to remember various details
- It is difficult to complete the assignment given, whatever the task
- Decreased speed of thinking
- Can't think clearly
READ ALSO: What Should Be Prepared Before Undergoing Chemotherapy?
2. Acute cognitive changes (delirium)
Acute cognitive changes are effects that appear suddenly on the brain due to chemotherapy. This can happen when someone is undergoing chemotherapy treatment or after he passes it. This condition is not preceded by signs and symptoms, sudden arrival without showing a pattern. Therefore, in some cases, this condition is only temporary, can recover and be normal as before. Symptoms that arise are:
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Be aggressive behavior
- Hallucinations
- Disorientation, or the patient does not know and forgets where he is at a time
- Sleep patterns are not fixed and disturbed
- Feeling restless and restless
- Difficult to focus
- Suddenly became very passive and became quiet
3. Chronic cognitive changes (dementia)
Dementia is a syndrome caused by brain damage and can affect one's ability to think, remember, and communicate. Alzheimer's disease is also included in the group of dementia syndrome. Unlike acute cognitive changes, these cognitive changes occur slowly and require a considerable amount of time and it is estimated that the effects cannot recover and return to normal conditions. The following are the symptoms caused:
- Having bad memories
- It's hard to do tasks at the same time
- Can't make a decision
- Personality changes, moods change easily
- It's hard to solve a problem
READ ALSO: Why Do You Have to Exercise Even With Cancer Treatment?
When will this brain change occur?
The effect of chemotherapy on the brain is influenced by various things and can occur at any time, whether it is when the treatment is being carried out or after successfully passing treatment.
- Chemo brain can occur during and after chemotherapy is done.
- Delirium can occur suddenly during chemotherapy
- Dementia caused by cancer treatment, occurs slowly over a period of time, formed during treatment until treatment has finished. Actually dementia is hard to know compared to delirium, because this condition can be caused by various things. Dementia can also occur after undergoing radiotherapy for 48 months or more.
How to reduce brain disorders that occur due to chemotherapy?
Various ways you can do to reduce the symptoms that appear, such as:
- Write a diary and record various events every day. You can also use a diary to record your plans for the next few days
- Frequently train your brain by doing puzzle games or filling in crosswords
- Enough rest and sleep
- Eat healthy foods and drinks
- Do regular exercise
- Don't try to do several things at the same time, it's better to focus on one thing first
