Link Between Breast Cancer Treatment and Alzheimer’s Risk
Recent research has uncovered a potential connection between breast cancer treatment and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This finding suggests that women undergoing certain treatments for breast cancer may experience a protective effect against this neurodegenerative disorder, which affects memory, thinking, and behavior.
Alzheimer’s disease is a significant health concern, impacting over 900,000 individuals in the UK alone. Despite its prevalence, there is currently no cure, and most cases are not directly linked to genetics. However, scientists in South Korea have discovered that breast cancer patients who received radiotherapy were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared to those who did not undergo the treatment.
In the UK, around one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. More than 70% of these patients receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment plan. This therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors, making it a common and effective approach in managing the disease.
To explore the relationship between cancer treatment and Alzheimer’s risk, researchers at Samsung University analyzed the health records of over 250,000 women. Approximately 70,000 of these individuals were breast cancer survivors who had undergone surgery and treatment between 2010 and 2016. The study revealed that those who received radiotherapy had an 8% lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s compared to women who either did not receive the treatment or had never been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dr. Su-Min Jeong, the lead author of the study, highlighted the potential implications of these findings. “Based on these findings, we hypothesise that the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia could be lowered shortly after cancer treatment,” he stated. However, he also noted that this protective effect appears to diminish over time. “It may equalize as the survival period increases,” he added.
The exact mechanisms behind this potential protective effect remain under investigation. Researchers believe that radiotherapy may have anti-inflammatory or neuroprotective properties. It has also been shown to reduce levels of two types of brain cells associated with inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.
Other theories suggest that radiation might interfere with the formation of amyloid plaques—abnormal protein clumps found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients—or influence the immune system in ways that could impact the progression of the disease.
While the results of this study are promising, further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between cancer treatment and Alzheimer’s risk. Scientists continue to explore the long-term effects of radiotherapy and other cancer treatments on neurological health, aiming to uncover new insights that could benefit both cancer and Alzheimer’s patients.
As the medical community delves deeper into these connections, the possibility of leveraging cancer treatments to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases opens up exciting avenues for future research and potential therapeutic strategies.
