Sami (Papacek) Mansfield: Are we missing the forest for the trees in cancer care when it comes to brain health?

Sami (Papacek) Mansfield posted the following on LinkedIn:

“Are We Missing the Forest for the Trees in Cancer Care when it comes to brain health?

While anyone working in cancer understands that our role is to treat the whole person, are we overlooking a key factor when patients report persistent, debilitating, and frustrating side effects? It’s all too common to dismiss issues like ‘chemobrain’ or memory loss as side effects of treatment—or to refer them out for further assessment. But are we missing the bigger picture?

One challenge I frequently hear working in Lifestyle Medicine is the concern over memory loss, cognitive decline, and the fear of dementia. While cancer treatments certainly play a role, could Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) be an underlying factor we’re not addressing enough?

The UK Biobank study has uncovered a critical link between MetS, brain size, and dementia risk. Here’s what the research tells us about brain health and the actions we can take to reduce cognitive decline, and the fear of dementia. While cancer treatments certainly play a role, could Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) be an underlying factor we’re not addressing enough?

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions—including high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, large waist circumference, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol—that significantly increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, it also has a strong impact on your brain health and more than 60% of cancer survivors have MetS

The UK Biobank study has uncovered a critical link between MetS, brain size, and dementia risk. Here’s what the research tells us about brain health and the actions we can take to reduce cognitive decline:

1. Metabolic Syndrome & Brain Health
– Among 37,395 individuals, those with MetS experienced significant brain shrinkage and poorer cognitive performance. The more MetS components present, the worse the cognitive impact.

2. Diet & Dementia
– Of 84,342 participants, those with cardiometabolic disease (CMD) and a pro-inflammatory diet (high in processed foods) faced increased brain atrophy and dementia risk. In contrast, an anti-inflammatory diet (whole or minimally processed foods) reduced dementia risk by 31%

What Can We Do?
– Reduce MetS risk through lifestyle interventions.
– Shift towards an anti-inflammatory, whole-food eating pattern.
– Manage stress and alcohol consumption, both critical for brain health.

As healthcare providers, we need to think holistically and empower our patients to take control of factors like diet and lifestyle. These small, consistent changes can make a huge difference for long-term brain health.”

Source: Sami (Papacek) Mansfield/LinkedIn

Sami Mansfield is the founder of Cancer Wellness for Life. She’s been a certified cancer exercise specialist since 2003 and has dedicated her career to implementing evidence-based lifestyle education, resources and tools into cancer care for both the patients and the providers. She is also a Chair of Cancer Member Interest Group, at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Breast Cancer Taskforce Co-Chair at Colorado Cancer Coalition.