During cancer treatment, have you felt like you have trouble concentrating or focusing? Are you forgetting things like names, dates and numbers? You may be experiencing cognitive problems that people diagnosed with cancer often face during and after treatment, called “chemobrain,” or “cancer-related cognitive impairment.” These problems vary in severity and often make it difficult to complete daily tasks.
What are the symptoms of chemobrain?
- Trouble concentrating or focusing
- Mental fog or disorientation
- Difficulties with judgement or reasoning
- Memory loss and forgetting certain things, especially names, dates and numbers
Before assuming that new cognitive symptoms are “only” chemobrain, it is important to talk to your care team to make sure the issues are not caused by something else, like anemia, fatigue or depression. The intensity of these symptoms often depends on several factors, including your age, stress level, history of depression or anxiety and more. There is no specific laboratory or x-ray that can diagnose chemobrain, so it is important to talk to your care team if you are experiencing symptoms.
There’s no specific treatment for chemobrain, but there are several approaches your care team could recommend to effectively manage symptoms, like medications or occupational therapy. These cognitive problems are common during treatment, and many survivors have issues that continue for a long period of time after finishing treatment, while others see a gradual improvement within the first year post-treatment.
Forgetfulness or mental fog that comes with chemobrain can be difficult to cope with, but over time, you’ll adjust and find ways to make focusing easier. It may help to remember that it is a common problem that will most likely improve with time. There are some things you can do at home to manage symptoms:
- Talk with people in your life and be open and honest about your symptoms. Ask friends or family to remind you of plans with a phone call.
- Use a daily planner, calendar or a smartphone to keep track of appointments, to-do lists or important dates
- Exercise your brain with crosswords, puzzles or paint pictures
- Engage in physical activity like short walks as your doctor allows
- Set up routines and follow the same daily schedule
Talk with your care team about your symptoms. Your care team can help you determine the best course of action to help with symptoms you are experiencing.
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