Chemo Brain

lindary
lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

I first saw this news story on my flipboard this morning. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/when-scientists-saw-the-mouse-heads-glowing-they-knew-the-discovery-was-big/2017/05/19/f33cc574-246a-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html?utm_term=.cc5d0a6ab2a9

I talks about how centuries it was accept that the lymphatic system did not extend into the brain. Then 3 years ago one researcher found that they do extend into the brain. There is a lot of interesting bits in this article. As I red it I couldn't help but wonder if this would also explain the side effect known as chemo brain.

 

Comments

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,465 Member
    #2
    "Chemo brain" remains an enigma

    Of all chemotherapy drugs, only methotrexate (and likely its cousin Pralatrexate) are known to cross the blood-brain barrier. Thus, it does not seem to be directly caused by the drugs themselves. Theories abound from it being a form of PTSD, to perhaps a result of the chronic lowered blood counts during chemo to...??? Still, it will be interesting to see how research pans out.

  • lindary
    lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
    #3
    Wait and see

    Several times in the article they say that the research has just started. It sounds like the researchers are very excited about what new things they may find. 

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