Brain damage link to cancer drug (BBC) {5-FU, 5-fluorouracil}

[eppur_se_muova]

A drug widely used to treat cancer may cause brain damage, with the effects lasting for years after the end of treatment, research suggests.

The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is used, alongside others, to treat cancers of the breast, ovaries, colon, stomach, pancreas and bladder.

Tests on mice showed it destroys vital cells in the brain that help to keep nerves functioning properly.

The University of Rochester study features in the Journal of Biology.

The researchers say their findings could explain some of the neurological side effects associated with chemotherapy - a phenomenon often known as "chemo brain".
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7360127.stm