- About 75,000 cancer patients report memory problems during treatment
- Researchers think this may be due to excess calcium floating in the brain
Scientists believe they have discovered the cause of the ‘chemo brain’ that affects up to 75,000 cancer patients – a name given to memory and attention problems that often occur during treatment.
US researchers claim this could be linked to excess calcium floating around in the brain, and the findings could lead to new treatments to restore cognitive function in patients.
Calcium is an essential mineral for bone health and is found abundantly in dairy products. It also serves as a crucial messenger in cells throughout the body.
However, a buildup of the nutrient is known to occur in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation – a common condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly.
Scientists think they have discovered the cause of the ‘chemo brain’ experienced by around 75,000 cancer patients
Teams from the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that chemo also causes “calcium leaks” in the brain.
The mice they tested on also had memory problems, as they struggled with mazes and navigating obstacles. The researchers also found that one of their drugs in development could reduce calcium leakage and cognitive symptoms in the mice.
Dr. Andrew Marks, professor of physiology and cellular biophysics and co-author of the study, said: ‘As a doctor, one of the things I ask my patients with cancer is, ‘What is the thing that affects you most in everyday life?’ One thing they say is brain teasers – something a busy doctor usually doesn’t have time for.
“It’s a very important problem with a huge unmet clinical need.”
The study also adds strength to the argument that calcium leaks play an important role in cognitive deficits in general. An excess of minerals in the cells is seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, long Covid and PTSD.
Cancer Research UK estimates that of the almost 400,000 Britons diagnosed with cancer each year, 28 percent receive chemotherapy as part of their treatment.
About three-quarters of these patients report memory and thinking problems, although experts say these resolve within six to nine months after finishing treatment.
Other frequent side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, fatigue and hair loss.