An estimated 75% of children treated for cancer in the United States develop “chemo brain”—cognitive impairment resulting from chemotherapy treatment.  Chemotherapy affects the still-developing brains of children, potentially leading to more severe effects than occur in adults who receive the treatment. But precisely how chemotherapy injures the brain, and how this damage leads to neurocognitive impairment, is not well understood.

Tim Duong, Ph. D., has received a five-year, $1.9 million NIH grant to use MRI to explore the relationship between chemotherapy and chemo brain in pediatric oncology patients.  Dr. Duong and his team will follow these patients over time as chemo brain develops, monitoring changes that occur in neurovascular health, metabolic activity, cognitive function, neural connectivity, and in the structures of the developing brain.  The findings may lead to strategies that can minimize the damage that chemotherapy can inflict on young patients.

Dr. Duong is professor and vice chair for research of radiology at Einstein. (1 R01 CA244768-01)