Cancer is not usually associated with health benefits, but new research suggests that it can reduce the risk of dementia in some patients.
A study led by the School of Medicine at Seoul National University suggests that breast cancer survivors may be slightly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease Compared to people who were not receiving treatment.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, compared data from over 70,000 breast cancer survivors to cancer-free controls for an average of 7.3 years.
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Overall, Breast cancer survivors – In particular, people over the age of 65 showed an 8% lower risk of dementia within five years of treatment.
Those who received radiation showed the most risk reduction, researchers found.
This study was adjusted for other factors that may have contributed to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, including age, income level, geographic location, body mass index, comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, hypertension, chronic kidney disease), and health-related behaviors (such as smoking, alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption, and alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption). Physical Activities), this study stated.
This result contradicts previous concerns about breast cancer patients experiencing cognitive decline after treatment.
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Chemotherapy has previously been associated with a condition called “chemotherapy,” in which patients experience cognitive decline.
“Chemotherapy brain refers to cognitive dysfunction, including thought and memory problems that occur in cancer patients during and after chemotherapy,” the researchers wrote.
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However, this is different from Alzheimer’s. In the “chemotherapy brain,” cognitive impairment is called “subtle” and does not prevent patients from collecting remote memories.
“Concerns about long-term negative effects with chemotherapy brains Breast cancer treatment Although cognitive is common, our findings suggest that this treatment does not directly lead to AD,” the researchers noted.
In fact, some studies have shown that certain drugs given to breast cancer patients can help reduce the formation of amyloid salts and tau proteins in the brain, one of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.
Based on the findings, researchers recommend that breast cancer patients take steps to reduce modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, such as smoking and diabetes. Cancer treatment.
The investigation had several limitations, the team admitted.
Information regarding the patient’s breast cancer stage and radiation dose was not available. It is also possible that the number of diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease has been underestimated.
Additionally, the study focuses on “operable” breast cancer patients, so it may not represent the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Elderly patientspeople with “critical comorbidities” or patients with advanced stage disease, the researchers noted.
“Due to the relatively short follow-up period (up to 11 years), we were unable to assess the long-term increase in AD risk,” they wrote.
“Additional studies with long-term observation periods are guaranteed to investigate the long-term link between AD risk and breast cancer. Survival period. ”
Dr. Maria C. Carrillo, Chief Science Officer of the Alzheimer’s Disease Association and leader of the Chicago Medical Office, noted that the topic of this study is being investigated. Previous research.
“There have been many published reports from observational studies of cancer survivors with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while others have found an increased risk,” Carrillo, who was not involved in this latest study, told Fox News Digital.
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Experts note that they draw “sudden conclusions” based on this study.
“Previous research Cancer survival And the treatment and risk of Alzheimer’s disease cited by the authors of this article have produced “even more contradictory” outcomes: “More research is needed.
The most interesting aspect of this study is the finding that radiation therapy is associated with reduced risk of 23% Alzheimer’s disease, while other cancer treatments showed no reduced risk.
This could be due to the ability of radiation to reduce inflammation levels, experts suggested.
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“Reduced body and brain inflammation can slow the production of amyloid beta or amyloid beta production, leading to delays in the onset of. Symptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease“She said.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, around 7.2 million Americans over the age of 65 currently live with Alzheimer’s disease.
Fox News Digital has requested researchers for comment.
