Chemotherapy has long-term negative impact on brain function

Researchers at UCLA found that chemo can actually deteriorate brain function in the long term. The researchers studied 21 patients who had surgery to remove breast cancer tumors, 16 of whom undergone chemotherapy and five who have not. Using positron emission tomography scans as the patients did short memory exercises, researchers were able to monitor the patients' resting brain metabolism and blood flow to their brains. The results showed that the chemo patients had lower metabolism in a key region of the frontal cortex, and a higher rate of blood flow to the frontal cortex and cerebellum. The researchers noted this phenomena may explain why a number of chemo patients face symptoms of confusion - due to alterations in brain metabolism.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/10/05/chemo.brain.reut/index.html