BACKGROUND: Research shows up to 80 percent of people undergoing chemotherapy experience a condition called chemobrain. Chemobrain is defined as difficulty processing information. It usually goes unrecognized and untreated, but it is a diagnosable condition often covered by health insurance. According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, people with chemobrain may:
Have difficulty multi-tasking.
Confuse dates and appointments.
Misplace objects.
Forget details of recent events or conversations.
Fumble for the right word or phrase.
Have difficult focusing on one task.
Feel mentally "slower" thatn before.
"Fortunately, for the majority of people it does get better, but for maybe a third of the people, it can persist after treatment," says Gary Morrow, Ph.D., a cancer researcher at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York.
NEW RESEARCH: In a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester, 68 women participated in an eight-week trial to determine the effects of the drug modafinil (Provigil) on chemobrain. All women took the drug for the first four weeks. Over the next month, half the women continued to receive the drug while the other half took a placebo. Results show those who were on modafinil for the entire eight-week period had major improvements in memory, concentration and learning.
In another study, researchers tested modafinil's effect on fatigue, a symptom that affects about 90 percent of people undergoing radiation and 80 percent of people undergoing chemotherapy. The study showed modafinil had a significant positive effect on relieving patients' fatigue. "People were very happy that they were now able to get out," Dr. Morrow explained.
THE DRUG: Modafinil was originally developed to treat narcolepsy. It promotes wakefulness and boosts brain power without causing the restless side effects often experienced with amphetamines. Modafinil is in a class of drugs that stimulate the brain only when necessary. The drug's effects fade in about 12 hours.
THE BENEFITS: The drug gives patients suffering from chemobrain an option to get relief without having to turn to amphetamine-type drugs. "What it means is that the people may suffer a bit less, may be able to engage in activities of daily living and engage with their family and their friends," Dr. Morrow said. "Cancer is a terrible thing. Its treatment, for many folks, is a major challenge. Anything you can help during that treatment is useful."
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