Chemobrain_V1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy
IRAS ID
275902
Contact name
Laura Kenny
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
‘Chemobrain’ is a well-recognised but poorly understood side effect of chemotherapy (chemo) for many cancer patients and is used to describe a collection of signs and symptoms including confusion, concentration difficulties, multitasking, recalling conversations or even words. It occurs in approximately half of chemo cancer patients but is not routinely assessed by doctors. Chemobrain is also known as chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), cognitive dysfunction or colloquially ‘chemo fog’ to describe the feeling of helplessness following chemo. CRCI affects both sexes, of all ages, with a variety of different cancers, and patients may notice changes at varying times following cancer-related treatment. Older people are particularly vulnerable, especially those who already show signs/suffer from anxiety and depression. Most people recover from chemobrain within a year of ending treatment, but some may take longer (to return to pre-chemotherapy awareness levels) or experience permanent memory and cognitive problems that affect their quality of life and wider environment. The extent of the problem has been recognised by the National Institutes of Health in the USA and other international organisations, which have stated that research studies of chemobrain are urgently needed to reduce social and economic problems in the future. The chemobrain difficulties are also common features in several neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, we will be drawing parallels between the two different disease areas (breast cancer and neurodegenerative diseases) and utilise existing knowledge, memory testing and imaging techniques (MRI and PET/CT).
Using the most popular chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer patients, this study will explore its mode of action, impact on brain function and use memory testing and imaging to compare participants experiencing cognitive issues against those without following treatment.REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/1018
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion