My sister in law(72) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. She underwent a whipple procedure and 12 sessions of chemotherapy. Six months on she is still experiencing cognitive impairment: poor memory, inability to concentrate and forgetfulness. Her husband tells us the consultant is not concerned. We are! Any suggestions
Thank you for contacting us at Macmillan. My name is Barbara, and I am one of the Cancer information Nurse Specialists .
It must be very concerning for you and your family to see such changes in your sister-in-law, supporting someone after cancer treatment can cause many different emotions .Your sister-in-law has come through such a lot over the last year.
It is always important to get any new, ongoing or worsening symptoms assessed by her consultant or GP.
Cognitive changes or brain fog can affect up to 35 in every 100 people after cancer treatment. The causes are unclear, but some risk factors may include cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and an emotional reaction to cancer such as anxiety and depression. Some people are more at risk of cognitive changes including those of an older age.
Research is going on to find effective ways of treating cognitive changes, here are some of the potential treatments being studied.
There are some things she can do to help her cope better with these changes. Pancreatic action cancer network has 6 tips for dealing with chemo brain.
Keeping a diary of her symptoms may help her work out if certain things make her memory worse. For example, she may notice that symptoms seem worse first thing in the morning, or when she was tired or hungry. A diary can also help her to notice if things improve over time.
The symptoms of cognitive impairment can come and go. For most people, the symptoms have either gone or improved within a year of ending treatment. But for some people, the symptoms can be long-term and may continue for years after treatment.
It can be difficult supporting someone with ongoing or long-term effects from treatment. You may find help through the experiences of others on our family and friends forum
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch. You can speak with the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us.
Best wishes,
Barbara S
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
REF:BG
