Subtle Cognitive Deficits May Remain Ten Years After Cancer Chemotherapy NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 11 - A decade after receiving systemic chemotherapy for breast cancer or lymphoma, patients score significantly worse on some cognitive function tests than similar patients who underwent local therapy only, investigators report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology for January 15. Dr. Tim A. Ahles, of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and colleagues evaluated 35 breast cancer and 36 lymphoma survivors treated with systemic chemotherapy. Results were compared with those of 35 and 22 patients, respectively, treated with surgery or radiation therapy. Time since last treatment averaged approximately 10 years. Systemic chemotherapy patients scored significantly lower than their counterparts on tests of verbal memory and psychomotor functioning. On the Squire Memory Self-Rating Scale, chemotherapy patients also scored lower on working memory. Outcomes were unaffected by diagnosis, age, education level, depression, anxiety and fatigue. The investigators observed a significant correlation between the number of cycles of chemotherapy, which ranged from one to 17, and the mean of the neuropsychologic domain scores. In an interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Ahles said, "Whether our finding is a direct effect of chemotherapeutic agents crossing the blood-brain barrier more than we thought they did, or is related to particular metabolites, there is a lot of speculation but no real answers." He said that he and his associates are seeking funding for brain-imaging studies of patients who undergo treatment for cancer. J Clin Oncol 2002;20:485-493. Corrine T gives her perspective, 4/05 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.