Is this HORRENDOUS cancer treatment side effect AVOIDABLE?
It’s one of the WORST side effects of cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
No, I’m not talking about the LOSS of appetite…
The nausea…
The fatigue…
Or even the hair falling out.
It’s hard to imagine ANYTHING could be worse than those hallmarks of TOXIC POISON.
You know, the kind used to help SHRINK tumors… KILL cancer… and keep the disease from coming BACK.
I’m talking about “chemo brain.”
It’s a type of brain fog that occurs in cancer patients… causing mental cloudiness, forgetfulness, lack of focus, and more.
And once those “clouds” roll in… it’s hard to get ANY clarity… even after your treatment is OVER.
But chemo brain doesn’t just come from chemotherapy. It’s actually associated with OTHER cancer treatments, too.
And although it may seem absolutely CRUCIAL to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”… and SACRIFICE your mental sharpness to RID yourself of your cancer…
It turns out there’s something your care team can do to BUST that brain fog… and help you stay sharp as a tack… while still receiving your treatments.
You might hear about “chemo brain”… even though chemotherapy isn’t the ONLY culprit behind it!
In fact, this type of brain fog can occur during hormone treatments… after surgery… and as a result of radiation therapy.
Until recently, the best advice the mainstream had for REGAINING your focus was to exercise… meditate… and do some brain teasers.
They might even give you drugs meant for Alzheimer’s patients – even though it’s NOT dementia and may never LEAD to dementia.
Otherwise, you just had to learn how to “cope” with it.
But a recent clinical trial reveals there’s something your radiation therapist can do to help PRESERVE your cognitive function.
Just avoid the “memory center” of the brain (a.k.a. the hippocampus)!
It may sound SO simple… but patients with certain types of cancer have been getting their heads ZAPPED…
And LOSING their memory as a result!
Now, you don’t have to have brain cancer to get a radioactive beam aimed at your head.
Patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) often receive what’s called prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI)… which is meant to help keep the cancer from spreading from the lungs to the head.
But according to this latest study, the radiation therapists could simply AVOID the hippocampus…
And patients would perform BETTER at memory tests…
Without THREATENING the success of the procedure.
In fact, in the study I just mentioned, the cancer DIDN’T metastasize significantly more with the targeted therapy than with the “whole brain” approach.
And there were ZERO differences in overall survival between the groups that received regular ol’ radiation treatment to the head… and those who were subject to “hippocampal avoidance.”
But you can bet that the folks whose “memory centers” DIDN’T get fried by radiation experienced a better quality of life!
If you’re already experiencing chemo brain from cancer treatments you’ve already received, don’t lose hope.
Research has shown that certain nutrients may help clear the clouds.
Check out the eAlert archives for information on magnolia bark extract and vitamin B6.
To a better brain forecast,
Sarah Reagan
