A GP guide to cancer-related cognitive impairment
Patients who’ve been treated for cancer often report experiencing problems with memory, thinking and executive function.
Cancer-related cognitive impairment, or ‘cancer brain’, refers to any self-reported or measurable cognitive impairment arising from cancer or its treatment.
The condition was previously called ‘chemo brain’ or ‘chemo fog’ because it is commonly experienced following chemotherapy, but it can occur with other treatments (eg, radiation1 or hormone therapies2) and can exist even prior to treatment.
Impairment can occur across one or more cognitive domains during the cancer trajectory.
Patients may experience difficulty with memory, attention, executive function (eg, decision-making) and other cognitive abilities.3
