Side effects of chemotherapy cancer patients such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss and weakness is a common thing in those who undergo this therapy. However, recent studies have claimed, the effect of chemotherapy in high doses can also make it difficult to express themselves verbally.
Researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said the case difficulty talking, recorded two times higher among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment, than those who did not undergo chemo.
In this study, published in the scientific journal Acta Oncologica researchers involved nearly a thousand men with testicular cancer survivor. Respondents were asked to fill out questionnaires about what they felt for approximately eleven years of diagnosis-related illness.
"Those who have undergone chemotherapy more than doubled, and more likely to experience language difficulties such as the one in the pronunciation of the word, to speak somewhat inconsequential, and difficulty completing sentences," said Johanna Skoogh, graduate students from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
He added that the survivors of cancer who undergo chemotherapy often reported impaired memory and difficulty concentrating. Even so, the researchers have so far still can not explain how chemotherapy can cause the disorder. In fact, most research on survivors of breast cancer (hormone therapy) is also impaired cognitive function.
To determine the presence of impaired cognitive function in a person, usually measured using neuropsychological tests. But in recent years, the level of accuracy of this test is questionable.
"Our questionnaire contains questions about the difficulties experienced by the survivors in living their daily activities. As far as we know, this kind of measure has not been used in previous studies. This study is unique because getting a very high response, more than 80 percent, and in the long run, "said Skoogh.
The researchers did not dismiss the fact that the impairment of other cognitive functions like memory and concentration, may also be affected by high dose chemotherapy. "We believe that language disorders may be particularly sensitive to detect cognitive impairment. Language is something we use every day. That's why we can get a clue quickly when someone disrupted the function of speech," he said.
Researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said the case difficulty talking, recorded two times higher among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment, than those who did not undergo chemo.
In this study, published in the scientific journal Acta Oncologica researchers involved nearly a thousand men with testicular cancer survivor. Respondents were asked to fill out questionnaires about what they felt for approximately eleven years of diagnosis-related illness.
"Those who have undergone chemotherapy more than doubled, and more likely to experience language difficulties such as the one in the pronunciation of the word, to speak somewhat inconsequential, and difficulty completing sentences," said Johanna Skoogh, graduate students from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
He added that the survivors of cancer who undergo chemotherapy often reported impaired memory and difficulty concentrating. Even so, the researchers have so far still can not explain how chemotherapy can cause the disorder. In fact, most research on survivors of breast cancer (hormone therapy) is also impaired cognitive function.
To determine the presence of impaired cognitive function in a person, usually measured using neuropsychological tests. But in recent years, the level of accuracy of this test is questionable.
"Our questionnaire contains questions about the difficulties experienced by the survivors in living their daily activities. As far as we know, this kind of measure has not been used in previous studies. This study is unique because getting a very high response, more than 80 percent, and in the long run, "said Skoogh.
The researchers did not dismiss the fact that the impairment of other cognitive functions like memory and concentration, may also be affected by high dose chemotherapy. "We believe that language disorders may be particularly sensitive to detect cognitive impairment. Language is something we use every day. That's why we can get a clue quickly when someone disrupted the function of speech," he said.
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