After Beating Cancer, Patient Experiences Treatment-Associated Memory Loss

Lisa Elliott, 34, an attorney who lives in Mason, says her world changed in December 2010.

At the age of 29, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

"After a lumpectomy to remove the tumor, followed by radiation, I was prescribed Tamoxifen,” she says. Tamoxifen is often prescribed to treat cancer and may also prevent it from recurring.

Elliott, who is the patient of Elyse Lower, MD, director of the Breast Cancer Center within the UC Cancer Institute, says life continued as normal for the most part, until about a year and a half ago when she began experiencing a slip in her memory.

"I noticed I wasn’t thinking clearly,” she says. "I felt very distracted, which has continued to today. For example, I’ll be in the middle of telling a friend a story, and she’ll look at me and say, ‘You just told me that yesterday,’ and I’ll have no recollection of doing so.

"It’s become comical to us.”

Elliott says she’s never experienced forgetfulness that could be dangerous, but she has definitely noticed a change in her cognitive ability and focus.

"I do think that it has to do with my cancer treatment,” she says. "However, I wouldn’t trade being cancer free for anything.”

Now, the UC Cancer and Neuroscience Institutes are holding a free interactive seminar for people like Elliott to learn more about reasons cancer therapy can cause memory loss and other cognitive issues. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center. 

In addition to presentations by experts, there will also be interactive breakout sessions and a Q&A.

>> See the full schedule and register