Your feelings, thoughts and needs both while you have cancer and afterward can make it hard to maintain focus.

Concentration training also consists of learning and paying attention to the following things:

1. Ensure that you are not hungry and that you are well-rested before starting an activity.
2. While focusing on an activity try to stop sudden off-topic thoughts before they take hold.
3. Divide your work into small units with breaks.
4. Don’t do two things at once.
5. Make a note of things to help jog your memory and use a calendar for appointments.
6. Say what you are doing out loud, for example, ‘I am baking a cake.’.
7. Repeat an action that you did out loud to yourself to cement it in your memory.
8. Regularly engage in mentally challenging activities, such as chess, crosswords, crafting or music.
9. And lastly: be patient with yourself!

Author: Dipl. Biol. Esther Witte| Reviewer: Dr. Christian Keinki

Sources:

• Homepage. (2022). Samaritans. https://www.samaritans.org/
• Chemo brain. (2020, August 20). Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/cancer-drugs/side-effects/chemo-brain
• Cognitive changes (chemo brain). (2022, March 1). Macmillan Cancer Support. https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/chemo-brain
• What is Chemo Brain? (2020, February 1). American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/changes-in-mood-or-thinking/chemo-brain.html
• Shapiro, P. J. (2010, June). Cancer Brain Fog. Coping With Cancer. https://copingmag.com/cancer-brain-fog/

There are many ways you can counteract your forgetfulness. Some methods try to strengthen your memory. Others help you to reduce the negative effects on your daily life. These methods have usually been successful.

Seek help

• Talk to your treatment team.
• Contact counsellors.

Plan your day

• Divide upcoming tasks into smaller tasks.
• Do not try to do two tasks at once.
• Make sure you take regular breaks and get enough sleep.
• Make notes and lists.
• Write down important dates in a calendar.

Exercise your body and mind

• Use movement exercises such as Tai Chi, Chi Gong or Yoga.
• Do sports like swimming or hiking.
• Play chess, do crosswords or puzzles.
• Try handicrafts.
• Learn a foreign language or a musical instrument.

Author: Dr. Volker Henn| Reviewer: Dr. Christian Keinki

Sources:

• Memory or Concentration Problems and Cancer Treatment. (2022, December 30). National Cancer Institute. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/memory
• Attention, Thinking, and Memory Problems. (2019, December). Cancer.Net. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.cancer.net/coping-with-cancer/physical-emotional-and-social-effects-cancer/managing-physical-side-effects/attention-thinking-and-memory-problems
• Lange, M., Joly, F., Vardy, J., Ahles, T., Dubois, M., Tron, L., Winocur, G., De Ruiter, M., & Castel, H. (2019). Cancer-related cognitive impairment: an update on state of the art, detection, and management strategies in cancer survivors. Annals of Oncology, 30(12), 1925–1940. https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdz410
• Fernandes, H. A., Richard, N. M., & Edelstein, K. (2019). Cognitive rehabilitation for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction: a systematic review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 27(9), 3253–3279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-04866-2
• Farahani, M. A., Soleimanpour, S., Mayo, S. J., Myers, J. S., Panesar, P., & Ameri, F. (2022). The effect of mind-body exercise on cognitive function in cancer survivors: A systematic review. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 32(1), 38–48. https://doi.org/10.5737/236880763213848
• Ng, T., Dorajoo, S. R., Cheung, Y. T., Lam, Y. C., Yeo, H. L., Shwe, M., Gan, Y. X., Foo, K. M., Loh, W. J. K., Koo, S. L., Jain, A., Lee, G. E., Dent, R., Yap, Y. S., Ng, R., & Chan, A. (2018). Distinct and heterogeneous trajectories of self-perceived cognitive impairment among Asian breast cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 27(4), 1185–1192. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4635
• Campbell, K. L., Zadravec, K., Bland, K. A., Chesley, E., Wolf, F., & Janelsins, M. C. (2020). The Effect of Exercise on Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment and Applications for Physical Therapy: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Physical Therapy, 100(3), 523–542. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzz090