科学家发现化疗和放射治疗癌症可能引发认知下降

加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员的一项新发现显示，一些癌症病人在接受化疗和放射治疗后，可能出现认知下降的现象。

学界普遍认为，治疗癌症可能会加速细胞在生物学上的老化。加州大学洛杉矶分校的这项新研究尤其证实了该观点：包括化疗和放射在内的常规癌症疗法可能会破坏DNA，降低端粒酶活性，后者有助于维持细胞健康。以接受外科手术却并未接受其他疗法的女性癌症患者作为对比，这一点体现得尤其明显。

加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员调查了年龄在36岁至69岁之间的94位罹患乳腺癌的幸存者，她们都曾接受过3至6年不等的癌症治疗，疗法可能是化疗或者放射，或者两者兼有。研究人员检查了这些人的DNA损害程度和端粒酶活性，并将结果与她们的认知功能进行对照，最终得到了研究的结论。

加州大学洛杉矶分校琼森综合癌症中心（UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center）成员、精神病和生物行为科学助理教授、本项研究的第一作者朱迪斯·卡罗尔表示：“这项研究提供了初步证据，表明癌症治疗可能会对某些人带来持久的影响。我们希望未来的研究可以针对这些生物学上的老化过程，阻止某些癌症幸存者认知下降的出现。”

这项研究立足于这批加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员之前的一项研究，对象也是这94位癌症幸存者。该研究调查了乳腺癌治疗和细胞衰老标志之间的关系。（财富中文网）

译者：严匡正

A new study from researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles shows that some cancer patients can experience cognitive decline after chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

It’s commonly thought that cancer treatments may accelerate biological aging in cells. Specifically seen in this new UCLA study is evidence that common cancer therapies including chemotherapy and radiation may be linked to DNA damage and lower telomerase activity, telomeres being the enzymes that help maintain the health of cells. That’s especially true compared to women who had surgery but no other treatment for their cancers.

UCLA researchers surveyed 94 breast cancer survivors ages 36 to 69, all of whom had completed anywhere from three to six years of breast cancer treatments including either or both chemo and radiation. Researchers also examined the participants’ DNA damage and telomerase activity, then compared those results with participants’ cognitive function to reach the conclusions found in the study.

“Together this research provides preliminary evidence that the cancer treatments can leave a lasting imprint on some individuals,” said Judith Carroll, the study’s lead author, an associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, and a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Our hope is that future research will target these biological aging pathways to prevent the cognitive declines experienced by some cancer survivors.”

The builds on a previous study by the same UCLA researchers—and including the same 94 breast cancer survivors—which examined the relationship between breast cancer treatments and the cellular markers of aging.