Chemo Brain Update: Cancer-Related Cognitive Decline

Erica Guardascione is a speech-language pathologist at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. She’s also a curriculum developer and faculty member at ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation.

After completing her undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology at Hofstra University, Erica went on to pursue graduate studies at Nova Southeastern University. She has practiced for more than a decade as a clinical specialist in the Cognitive Rehabilitation Program at Kessler. The program is designed to help people with brain injuries rebuild cognitive skills, restore physical and emotional strength, and maximize independence.

Erica is a clinical lead in the program. Erica has a deep interest in cancer-related cognitive problems and is considered an authority on attention, focus, and memory impairments and rehabilitation strategies. As a faculty member at ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation, she recently co-led a continuing education course for therapists and other clinicians called “Cancer-Related Cognitive Decline.”

Listen to the podcast to hear Erica explain:

• why “cancer-related cognitive decline” is the most up-to-date term for chemo brain
• the factors that can contribute to cognitive decline after a cancer diagnosis
• some broad steps that people can take to help manage any thinking and memory problems they may be having