加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校的研究人員的一項(xiàng)新發(fā)現(xiàn)顯示，一些癌癥病人在接受化療和放射治療后，可能出現(xiàn)認(rèn)知下降的現(xiàn)象。

學(xué)界普遍認(rèn)為，治療癌癥可能會(huì)加速細(xì)胞在生物學(xué)上的老化。加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校的這項(xiàng)新研究尤其證實(shí)了該觀點(diǎn)：包括化療和放射在內(nèi)的常規(guī)癌癥療法可能會(huì)破壞DNA，降低端粒酶活性，后者有助于維持細(xì)胞健康。以接受外科手術(shù)卻并未接受其他療法的女性癌癥患者作為對(duì)比，這一點(diǎn)體現(xiàn)得尤其明顯。

加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校的研究人員調(diào)查了年齡在36歲至69歲之間的94位罹患乳腺癌的幸存者，她們都曾接受過(guò)3至6年不等的癌癥治療，療法可能是化療或者放射，或者兩者兼有。研究人員檢查了這些人的DNA損害程度和端粒酶活性，并將結(jié)果與她們的認(rèn)知功能進(jìn)行對(duì)照，最終得到了研究的結(jié)論。

加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校瓊森綜合癌癥中心（UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center）成員、精神病和生物行為科學(xué)助理教授、本項(xiàng)研究的第一作者朱迪斯·卡羅爾表示：“這項(xiàng)研究提供了初步證據(jù)，表明癌癥治療可能會(huì)對(duì)某些人帶來(lái)持久的影響。我們希望未來(lái)的研究可以針對(duì)這些生物學(xué)上的老化過(guò)程，阻止某些癌癥幸存者認(rèn)知下降的出現(xiàn)。”

這項(xiàng)研究立足于這批加州大學(xué)洛杉磯分校的研究人員之前的一項(xiàng)研究，對(duì)象也是這94位癌癥幸存者。該研究調(diào)查了乳腺癌治療和細(xì)胞衰老標(biāo)志之間的關(guān)系。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：嚴(yán)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.