Israel
Israeli study offers hope for cancer survivors struggling with ‘chemobrain’
Up to 80 per cent of cancer survivors experience cancer-related cognitive impairment
December 8, 2025 15:06
Up to 80 per cent of cancer survivors experience cancer-related cognitive impairment
December 8, 2025 15:06Israeli researchers have developed a therapy that they believe will help cancer survivors struggling with memory problems and concentration after undergoing treatment.
Up to 80 per cent of survivors continue to struggle with what has been dubbed “chemobrain” – subtle but disruptive changes in memory, attention, and mental processing that can make work, relationships, and daily routines unexpectedly difficult – during and after their cancer treatment.
Also known as chemo fog, cancer-related cognitive impairment or cognitive dysfunction, chemo brain is the most widely used term term as the condition was first reported in people having chemotherapy treatments, though experts now believe there to be more than one cause.
Now, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem hope the treatment they have developed could help cancer survivors regain confidence and improve everyday functioning while combating social isolation.
A pilot study at the university saw five participants aged between 30 and 57 attend six weekly group meetings online, each one personalised to each survivor and consisting of tests on their brain activity. The results of the therapy, named CRAFT-G (Cognitive Retraining and Functional Treatment – Group version), were “promising”, according to the researchers.
"Participants not only reported clinically meaningful improvements in daily performance, but assessments also showed significant gains in their ability to carry out everyday tasks such as managing home responsibilities or organising work demands,” they said.
“Cancer survivors often tell us they feel like they’ve ‘lost’ parts of themselves after treatment,” said Professor Yafit Gilboa, who led the study.
“Our goal was to offer a practical, compassionate, and accessible way to help them regain control, to show them that their cognitive challenges are real, understandable, and, importantly, treatable.”
CRAFT-G is “a feasible, accessible, and potentially effective option for cancer survivors living with cognitive changes,” the study concluded.
A larger study is now underway to examine the effectiveness of the intervention among a broader group of breast cancer survivors.
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