If you’ve been diagnosed with kidney cancer and you’re having trouble focusing, it’s not just in your head. Mental clarity and memory loss are real complications of cancer. They’re also recognized side effects caused by cancer treatments that can significantly impact daily life.

In this article, we’ll explain how kidney cancer and related treatments affect cognitive function (how well we think). We’ll also share tips to help you cope and make everyday tasks easier.

What Is Chemo Brain?

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, also called chemo brain, is the term for the cognitive side effects of therapeutic treatments. Chemo brain is often associated with the effects of chemotherapy, but people undergoing other cancer treatments may feel similar side effects.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common type of kidney cancer, usually responds better to other treatments than to chemotherapy. That’s why RCC is no longer treated with chemo.

People with kidney cancer who don’t undergo chemotherapy can still develop chemo brain due to the effects of more common treatments. These include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Medications used to treat symptoms, such as pain or nausea

Symptoms of Chemo Brain

The most common symptoms of chemo brain often include:

• Memory problems
• Learning difficulties
• Concentration issues
• A short attention span
• Trouble finding the right words

As a result, people with chemo brain may find everyday tasks more difficult, like remembering appointments or keeping up with conversations. This can affect someone’s ability to practice self-care, work, maintain relationships, or participate in hobbies.

How Kidney Cancer Can Affect Memory and Focus

People can also develop chemo brain due to factors closely related to kidney cancer rather than treatment. These factors include:

• Fatigue — Constant tiredness is one of the most common symptoms of kidney cancer. Not only can fatigue affect your ability to perform daily activities, but it can also affect how well you think and process emotions.
• Stress — Fighting cancer can cause physical and mental stress. However, stress can further cloud the mind and even impact how well the body responds to treatment.
• Sleep changes — Anxiety and worry about your health, along with physical symptoms like pain, can impact sleep quality. Poor sleep can contribute to fatigue and brain fog.

Kidney cancer can also spread to the brain and affect memory, thinking, or other brain functions, but this isn’t common. Only about 15 percent of advanced cases of RCC may develop brain tumors.

What Do We Know About Chemo Brain?

Chemo brain is common. According to one study, up to 75 percent of people with cancer experience it, and 83 percent of those people underwent chemotherapy at some point. However, researchers aren’t sure what causes chemo brain or why symptoms vary from person to person.

For example, some people have more difficulty with memory than others. Some people have short-term side effects that improve after treatment ends. Others may take longer to recover full brain function.

Current research suggests it could be due to oxidative stress (a molecule imbalance in the body) and inflammation, which affects how well the brain works.

Researchers believe overlapping health issues may contribute, like cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) or neurological (brain) diseases. They also believe that personal factors, like age and genetics, could play a role.

Practical Strategies To Cope With Chemo Brain

Below are a few ways to help you organize your thoughts while undergoing cancer treatment. For more personalized advice, talk to your healthcare team about your symptoms and how you can manage them during treatment.

Tell Friends and Family

Let your community know about changes in your memory and focus and how they can best help you. You may feel better knowing your loved ones understand the cognitive challenges you’re having. Their support may help you feel less alone.

Write Plans Down

Use a planner or notebook to make to-do lists and keep track of appointments or medication schedules. You may also want to keep track of important events, like birthdays or neighborhood get-togethers.

Keeping notes or a schedule can help you stay on top of your treatment plan and remain connected to the people you care about.

Create a Daily Routine

Adopting a routine can help simplify daily life. Your routine may include:

• Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day
• Eating on a set schedule
• Setting a recurring alarm to remind you of medications
• Storing your glasses or wallet in the same spot to avoid losing them

You may also add feel-good habits, like writing in a gratitude journal every night before bed.

Prioritize and Break Up Your Tasks

Tackle a daunting to-do list by doing the hardest task when you have the most energy. It helps to focus on one task at a time or break up larger tasks into smaller ones to make them feel more manageable.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need physical or mental support, especially when doing important tasks like sorting documents or preparing for medical visits.

For example, grocery shopping can feel like an overwhelming chore. Instead of taking stock of what’s in the kitchen, shopping, and unpacking bags all in one day, you could break the tasks up. Try writing down which groceries you need on one day, then shopping the next.

You may want to store perishables right away, but unpacking pantry items can wait until you replenish your energy.

Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Continue to practice self-care by exercising and eating well. Kidney cancer may affect which exercises you should do and which foods you should eat, so consult your doctor on how to make healthy, safe lifestyle decisions.

Regular physical activity can improve focus and manage stress. It can also promote better sleep, which combats fatigue and helps control pain levels. Ask your doctor whether exercises like yoga, swimming, walking, or gentle resistance training are appropriate for you.

Eating according to your doctor’s recommendations can also help your kidneys function as well as possible and prevent further complications.

Some people may need to follow a special diet (called a renal diet), while others may need to eat healthy foods in general.

Challenge Your Brain

Don’t forget to exercise your brain by doing creative or problem-solving activities. Consider doing puzzles, playing board games, learning an instrument, or drawing pictures.

You may also want to try meditation. While meditation may seem like a passive activity, it teaches you to declutter your mind, process thoughts and feelings, and practice mindfulness.

Communicate With Your Oncology Team

Be sure to communicate your symptoms with your healthcare team and find support — especially if cognitive changes are affecting your quality of life, safety, or independence.

One MyKidneyCancerTeam member keeps a diary to help them report symptoms to the doctor. “Writing down my symptoms and side effects in a timeline helps me because it all runs together in my brain, then I can’t remember anything,” they wrote.

Your care team can adjust medications when appropriate or refer you to other healthcare professionals who can help. “I see a palliative doctor who is very helpful,” wrote one MyKidneyCancerTeam member.

Palliative care, also known as supportive care, can help manage symptoms alongside your medical treatment to relieve stress, pain, or other side effects. Mental health professionals can also help you cope. Don’t be afraid to ask for ongoing support.

Join the Conversation

On MyKidneyCancerTeam, people share their experiences with kidney cancer, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What has helped you manage chemo brain? Let others know in the comments below.