Dementia Risk Higher Among Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Survivors

Highlights

• Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system
• An increased dementia risk in early adulthood for Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors observed
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors’ early aging risk is almost 80%

Survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma have a significantly higher risk of aging. The majority of individuals treated as kids for Hodgkin’s lymphoma who are now in their 30s, exhibited signs of being an average of 7.7 years older biologically than their peers and placing them at risk for cognitive problems, stated a study by Dr. Anna Lynn Williams, principal investigator, Wilmot Cancer Center, (University of Rochester) in the United States.

What is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) is a type cancer that affects the blood cells especially blood cells responsible for immunity. It typically occurs in young age and is treated with chemotherapy. The 5-year survival rate for all people with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the United States is 88% (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Hodgkin Lymphoma

Go to source). There are many studies relating chemotherapy to memory loss, but they did not prove the association between biological and brain ageing. This study aims to prove that association by using a new method of genetic analysis called epigenetic analysis performed on the DNA of the participants (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Cognitive impairment in hodgkin lymphoma survivors

Go to source). The study is a multicenter randomized controlled trial conducted in collaboration with St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital (where??). For the study, 215 Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors were enrolled and 215 participants were chosen to be in the reference group. The blood samples were collected from all the participants in both groups and sent for genetic analysis by extracting the DNA from the cells (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Hodgkin Lymphoma

Go to source).

Cognitive Impairment in Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Survivors

Epigenetic changes in the DNA, (DNA METHYLATION), is a marker used to study aging-related changes in the DNA. These changes were present in 80% of HL survivor group. In the reference group only 20% of the people developed these changes in DNA. This is called epigenetic age acceleration (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Hodgkin Lymphoma

Go to source).

This may be a valuable diagnostic tool to assess the cognitive damage in these survivors in future. In particular, researchers found that epigenetic age acceleration is linked strongly and persistently to memory decline.

This is suggestive that biological aging is probably related to cognitive aging. More awareness is needed among us to identify and understand what Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors are going through.

Dr. Williams was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 22 and underwent chemotherapy. She believes that this condition can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “These survivors have already had one hit from treatment, so you want to minimize damage going forward,” Williams said. “Try to be active, quit smoking, eat healthy, see your primary care physician to get proper testing, and exercise your brain.”

Jigsaw puzzles, stacking pennies, Sudoku, small additions, small subtractions, reading the numbers backwards, making lists and reinforcing, sitting outside and journaling, therapy putty exercises, stretching rubber band are a few exercises which can be tried to reverse and prevent aging-related disorders (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Cognitive rehabilitation is advantageous in terms of fatigue and independence in pediatric cancer treatment: a randomized-controlled study

Go to source).

If the symptoms are very severe, the patients can consult their physician for further medical advice and treatment.

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References:

1. Hodgkin Lymphoma - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499969/)
2. Cognitive rehabilitation is advantageous in terms of fatigue and independence in pediatric cancer treatment: a randomized-controlled study - (https://journals.lww.com/intjrehabilres/Abstract/2019/06000/Cognitive_rehabilitation_is_advantageous_in_terms.8.aspx)
3. Cognitive impairment in hodgkin lymphoma survivors - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29974933/)

Source-Medindia