While it is not commonly considered an immediate and direct side effect of chemotherapy, there is proof that chemotherapy can effect motor skills as a neuro-cognitive late effect. While some loss of coordination is associated while undergoing chemotherapy, other signs of damaged motor skills are more long lasting. In earlier studies, this effect seemed more prominent in children, but new research shows it exists substantially in the adult population as well.
Late Effects
Late effects are side effects of chemotherapy that come about a fair amount of time after chemotherapy treatment. Sometimes, the effects last a long period of time or do not go away. They are often not directly associated with chemotherapy, since they occur after a span of time has passed since chemotherapy treatment. Often times, the fact that they occur later detracts attention from their severity and significance when considering chemotherapy as a course of action to fight cancer. Effect on motor skills after chemotherapy falls into this category.
Types of Cancer Associated with Neurocognitive Late Effects
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumor cancers, especially in children, are most associated with neuro-cognitive late effects. The is because higher doses of chemotherapy are used to treat these dangerous types of cancer, leading to more neuro-cognitive late effects.
Mineralizing Microangiopathy
Mineralizing microangiopathy involves the calcification of basal ganglia in the white matter of the brain when treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The side effects of this mineralization are problems with motor skills, as well as memory and concentration. Research at first pointed to this effect in children, as they showed the issues more readily. However, upon researching adults, a similar percentage exhibited the same late effects.
Ataxia
Ataxia is a condition wherein one loses control over their movement or loses fluidity in movement as a result of damage to the cerebellum. It is also referred to as incoordination. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls motor skills and can be damaged by chemotherapy that is attempting to treat cancers in the brain. While ataxia can be more wide ranged than motor skills, affecting balance and overall coordination, it is a type of loss of motor skills affiliated with chemotherapy.
Long-Term Effects
While more gross motor deficiencies in coordination and balance often diminish as chemotherapy is slowed and finished, smaller issues with fine motor skills can be late effects that last for extended periods or do not go away ever. Whether or not the effect of chemotherapy on motor skills is reversible is often determined on a case by case basis depending on the patient, type and severity of cancer and chemotherapy regimen.
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