TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of prenatal exposure to cancer treatment on neurocognitive development, a review
AU - Vercruysse, Dorothée C.-M.
AU - Deprez, Sabine
AU - Sunaert, Stefan
AU - van Calsteren, Kristel
AU - Amant, Frederic
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Due to the increasing incidence of cancer during pregnancy, the need to better understand long-term outcome after prenatal exposure to chemo- and/or radiotherapy has become more urgent. This manuscript focuses on the neurocognitive development after prenatal exposure to cancer treatment. We will review possible pathways for brain damage that could explain the subtle changes in neurocognition and behavior found after in utero exposure to cancer treatment. Contrary to radiation, which has a direct effect on the developing nervous system, chemotherapy has to pass the placental and blood brain barrier to reach the fetal brain. However, there are also indirect effects such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the indirect effects of the cancer itself and its treatment, e.g., poor maternal nutrition and high maternal stress, as well as prematurity, can be related to cognitive impairment. Although the available evidence suggests that cancer treatment can be administered during pregnancy without jeopardizing the fetal chances, larger numbers and longer follow up of these children are needed. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
AB - Due to the increasing incidence of cancer during pregnancy, the need to better understand long-term outcome after prenatal exposure to chemo- and/or radiotherapy has become more urgent. This manuscript focuses on the neurocognitive development after prenatal exposure to cancer treatment. We will review possible pathways for brain damage that could explain the subtle changes in neurocognition and behavior found after in utero exposure to cancer treatment. Contrary to radiation, which has a direct effect on the developing nervous system, chemotherapy has to pass the placental and blood brain barrier to reach the fetal brain. However, there are also indirect effects such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the indirect effects of the cancer itself and its treatment, e.g., poor maternal nutrition and high maternal stress, as well as prematurity, can be related to cognitive impairment. Although the available evidence suggests that cancer treatment can be administered during pregnancy without jeopardizing the fetal chances, larger numbers and longer follow up of these children are needed. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.02.013
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.02.013
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26952827
SN - 0161-813X
VL - 54
SP - 11
EP - 21
JO - Neurotoxicology
JF - Neurotoxicology
ER -