Chemo Brain
Chemotherapy treatments can cause what is commonly referred to as “chemo brain” during or after treatment.
Chemo brain typically includes problems with the following:
- Executive functioning (e.g., reasoning, decision-making, resource allocation)
- Processing speed
- Inhibition
- Goal-oriented behaviors
Source: http://sig2perspectives.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=1767716
Also may come with:
- Short-term memory lapse — forgetting things that they usually have no trouble recalling
- Trouble concentrating — can’t focus on what they’re doing, have a short attention span, may “space out
- Trouble with word-finding, such as remembering names, not completing sentences, or not being able to think of a word
- Trouble multi-tasking, like answering the phone while cooking, without losing track of one task
- Taking longer to finish things– slower thinking and processing
Source: American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/expertvoices/post/2012/04/09/chemo-brain-it-is-real.aspx
Hearing Loss
Chemotherapy can also have ototoxic effects on hearing
Tongue Function and Swallowing
Chemotherapy may also affect tongue function and swallowing in patients
Source: http://sig13perspectives.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=1773251
