Some people who have had cancer treatment (chemotherapy or radiation to the head with high or standard dosage) experience 'brain fog' or 'chemobrain' that causes attention span and memory problems. The existence of many effects on the nervous system, including 'chemobrain' is well recognized by the medical community.(1)(2)
In some cases, it is unclear whether this issue is related to the treatment or the aging process. It is therefore important for survivors to speak with a doctor if they experience memory or 'thinking' problems, or if they believe that a treatment may be causing or worsening a memory or concentration problem.(3) (4)
Ways to improve post-treatment memory and concentration (from the NCI guide):
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write it down; bring a notepad with you to appointments
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set up reminders (e-mail, phone, text)
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group long numbers into chunks
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manage your stress
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go over what you plan to say
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repeat what you want to remember out loud
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