What is Chemo brain?

Chemo brain, also called as chemo fog, is a term that is used by cancer survivors to describe memory and thinking problems that occur after cancer treatment. Though chemo brain is a widely used term, it is often quite misleading. It's improbable that chemotherapy is the main cause of concentration and memory problems in cancer survivors. Chemo brain is a devastating side effect of cancer treatment and more research is needed to understand this condition.

People with chemo brain may experience the following symptoms:

• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Difficulty in concentrating, learning new skills or finding the right word
• Difficulty in multitasking
• Short-term memory problems
• Taking much longer than usual to complete routine tasks
• Problems with visual memory, such as recalling an image or list of words
• Short attention span

The factors that may increase risk of memory problems in cancer patients include:

• Radiation therapy to the brain
• High doses of chemotherapy or radiation
• Brain cancer
• Chemotherapy given directly to the central nervous system
• Diagnosed with cancer and given cancer treatment at a very young age

Contact your doctor if your undergoing cancer treatment and you're experiencing memory and thinking problems!