New Study Links Chemotherapy to Long-Term Cognitive Changes in Cancer Survivors

Researchers at The City College of New York have uncovered evidence that chemotherapy treatment may cause persistent cognitive alterations, as demonstrated through experiments on rats. This groundbreaking study suggests that the cognitive difficulties reported by many cancer survivors long after treatment may have a biological basis. The team focused on how chemotherapy impacts the brain at the molecular level, specifically in the prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for decision-making and executive function.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, investigated the effects of the common chemotherapy combination of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. The researchers found that this treatment significantly increases the expression of DNMT3a, a gene responsible for adding methylation marks to DNA. These changes in DNA methylation patterns could disrupt normal gene regulation in key brain areas.

This disruption potentially explains the phenomenon known as 'chemo brain,' where survivors experience issues such as memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and reduced executive function. Understanding this molecular mechanism provides a biological explanation for long-term cognitive impairments observed after chemotherapy.

The findings also open doors for targeted epigenetic therapies, such as inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) or histone deacetylases (HDACs), aimed at preventing or reversing these cognitive side effects. The ongoing research at CCNY is now exploring how RNA-binding proteins, involved in brain aging, are affected by chemotherapy in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

Overall, these insights bring us closer to understanding and potentially mitigating the cognitive challenges faced by cancer survivors, particularly those treated for breast cancer. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing the molecular and epigenetic impacts of chemotherapy to improve quality of life post-treatment.