A recent study found that leukemia patients exposed to chemotherapy showed lower glucose metabolism in specific brain regions when examined with F-18 FDG-PET/CT imaging. PET/CT identified metabolic alterations—decreased glucose uptake—in chemotherapy-exposed individuals compared to controls, specifically in the posterior cingulate gyrus, anterior orbital gyrus, and thalami. These metabolic changes, which occur in areas governing cognition and emotion, are thought to be related to Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Impairment (CICI), also known as “chemo brain.”
Older adults (age ≥55) and patients who received intrathecal chemotherapy showed more pronounced metabolic reductions in additional brain regions. The research supports the development of metabolic imaging biomarkers for early detection and intervention in CICI, which could help guide personalized treatment plans and identify vulnerable patient populations.
This retrospective study analyzed PET/CT brain scans from leukemia patients: 29 controls, 22 who completed chemotherapy over a year prior, and 49 who were either currently on or recently completed chemotherapy. The authors suggest that future prospective studies across various cancer types and treatment regimens are needed to validate these correlations and better understand the condition over time.