S10 E10: Clearing the Fog: A Clinical Look at Chemo Brain

With podcast host, Ginger Blackmon, and featuring Jorg Dietrich, MD, PhD, Clinical Director of the Cancer & Neurotoxicity Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Cognitive changes during cancer treatment—often called “chemo brain”—are common, often frustrating, and easy to overlook in practice. In this episode, Jorg Dietrich, MD, PhD, breaks down what’s really happening in the brain and what the care team should be paying closer attention to.

One key insight: what patients describe as memory loss is often actually difficulty with attention, concentration, and multitasking—something that may not show up in routine assessments but can significantly impact daily life.

Dr. Dietrich shares how these symptoms present, why they’re often missed, and what the multidisciplinary oncology team can do differently—from creating space for patients to speak up to using practical strategies like reducing distractions, improving sleep, and supporting cognitive recovery through exercise.

This episode offers a practical, real-world look at a side effect many patients experience—but few feel fully supported in managing.

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