Brain Damage Linked to Cancer Drug

The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is widely used to treat many kinds of cancer such as breast, ovaries, colon, stomach, pancreas and bladder. When this drug was tested on mice, vital brain cells were shown to have been destroyed. 5-FU attacks oligodendrocyte cells in the brain along with the precursor stem cells from which they originate. These cells produce myelin, which is needed for communication between the nerve cells. Oligodendrocytes virtually disappeared from the rats over a period of 6 months.
These findings could explain the reason that almost 80% of breast cancer chemotherapy patients report some form of mental impairment after treatment. At first the mental problems were thought to be from depression and anxiety related to diagnosis and treatment. The findings could also explain the common neurological side effects referred to as “chemo-brain.” Side effects include memory loss, poor concentration, and in more extreme cases, seizures, and even dementia.
Also, 3 widely used cancer drugs were found to be more toxic to healthy brains thatn to the cancers they are meant to treat. These drugs are the standard treatment for cancers and will continue to be used for years to come. Therefore, the effects of the drugs must continue to be studied. The experiment was tested on rats, so the exact effects on humans are still unknown. Even though the drugs might cause slight mental changes, the benefits of the drugs far outweigh those problems.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7360127.stm