Chemotherapy Drugs May Damage Brain Cells
Featured ArticleMain Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience; Breast Cancer; Lymphoma / Leukemia / Myeloma
Article Date: 30 Nov 2006 - 13:00 PDT
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opinions'Chemotherapy Drugs May Damage Brain Cells'
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Drugs used to treat many cancers, chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, carmustine and cytarabine, may damage and destroy brain cells, say scientists from the University of Rochester, USA. A term has been around for a long time - 'chemo brain' - which refers to reduced cognitive functions, seizures and brain loss experienced by some patients after receiving chemotherapy.
Some doctors had believe these neurological side effects were due to the patient's vulnerable psychological state. Nobody could be sure whether reduced cognitive function was directly linked to the drugs. This new study indicates the link is there.
You can read about this in the Journal of Biology, November 29 issue.
The scientists found that the drugs destroyed neural stem cells and oligodendrocytes in mice. Oligodendrocytes produce myelin insulation, crucial for the transmission of messages around the nervous system. They also found that neural stem cell division was significantly undermined by the drugs.
Even six weeks after the chemotherapy treatment had ceased, the mice's brain cells continued to die, said the researchers.
The scientists carried out lab tests on human neural cells as well as some cancer cells. They found that cisplatin, carmustine and cytarabine were significantly more toxic for the neural cells, when compared to the cancer cells. The drugs destroyed 40% - 80% of cancer cells, and 70% - 100% of human brain cells.
Dr Mark Noble, team leader, said "This is the first study that puts chemo-brain on a sound scientific footing, in terms of neurobiology and cellular biology."
"CNS progenitor cells and oligodendrocytes are targets of chemotherapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo"
Joerg Dietrich , Ruolan Han, Yin Yang , Margot Mayer-Proschel, Mark Noble
Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center
Journal of Biology 2006, 5:22 doi:10.1186/jbiol50
Click here to view abstract online
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
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Visitor Opinions (latest shown first)
Rebuttal
posted by Daniel Nieliwocki on 28 Oct 2008 at 5:32 pmJavier, i assume you are a doctor, or that you were sick with cancer and they could not help you or worst would not.
Maybe one of your relatives were sick and they coldn't help them.
Why did you make a statement like that with no information as to why you said it ?
They Are Bogus
posted by Javier Hinojoso on 1 Dec 2006 at 8:45 pmI have visited these so called centres around Tijuana many times when patients get ill there. I can assure you their 100% cure rate is completely bogus.
Chemotherapy
posted by Daniel A Nieliwocki on 1 Dec 2006 at 7:32 pmI just want to add, in Mexico there are several Clinics in and around Tijuana treating cancer more naturally with supplementation and immune boosters, almost 100% success rate. But isn't it strange that the FDA see's fit to ban these procedures and supplements in american medicine.Do the people of America really believe the FDA is protecting them with a policy like this BANNING A SURE CURE.I guess the drug companies just can't make enough money of off our sickness and dibilatating existence.Hooray for the Billions we make off your sickness,allergies,cholesterol,and blood pressure,vaccinations.
Since 9/11/01 "533,643 people died from professional administered drugs.I think we are fighting the WRONG TERRORIST. We need to break the hold the drug and chemical companies have on our legislators and the FDA with their millions of dollars they give them,other wise we are all going down the tube,Litterally.
Chemotherapy
posted by Daniel A Nieliwocki on 30 Nov 2006 at 4:30 pmThis product has been a disaster since it was introduced as a cancer cure. It destroyed your immune system, ruined your quality of life, and yet, the FDA did nothing. I guess that's because they have been bought and paid for by the BIG DRUG companies,who have proven,"they have no compassion for the people of the United States "
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