Health
Cancer patients can relieve side effects with surprising activity
Dancing it out can be a great way to recover from chemo.
That’s according to new research from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, which found that dancing the tango can boost neurological recovery in cancer patients by reducing lingering symptoms of chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN) is a condition that can occur anywhere throughout the body, but mostly impacts the hands, feet and limbs, according to an OSU press release.
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Eighty percent of breast cancer survivors experience CIN, which can cause pain, falls, difficulty walking and diminished quality of life, experts say.
Previous data showed that music and exercise can “help prevent neurologic degeneration,” the researchers said. (iStock)
The DAANCE study assessed how the adapted Argentine tango can help restore mobility and alleviate symptoms like numbness, burning, tingling and loss of feeling in these problem areas.
The study, led by Lise Worthen-Chaudhari, PhD, a scientist in the OSU Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, was funded by the National Institute on Aging.
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Worthen-Chaudhari, a former dancer herself, expressed the need for alternative treatment options for CIN.
The researcher and her team designed the study for breast cancer survivors experiencing CIN who had received their last chemotherapy treatment at least three months prior.
“There is hope for recovery from the beating that cancer gives your body, brain and nerves.”
In the early stages of the study, the researchers found that small doses of social dance improved dual-task function compared to larger doses of at-home exercise.
This could be due to the cognitive engagement of dual-task functioning, the researchers concluded.
The Argentine tango, a social dance that originated in Argentina, requires cognitive engagement. (iStock)
Just 20 minutes of social dance a few times a week could begin to “rewire the neuropathways that have been impacted by cancer treatment,” according to Worthen-Chaudhari.
Preliminary data also shows that dancing the tango can lead to improvements in balance, cognitive function, motor function and neuropathy symptoms.
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The rhythm of the Argentine tango, at 120 beats per minute, helps activate a “neural phenomenon” called “entrainment,” where “two or more oscillating systems (like brainwaves or behaviors) align,” the researchers noted.
Given tango’s ideal cadence, Worthen-Chaudhari told Fox News Digital that it “made sense” that doing the dance a couple of times per week would deliver positive effects of “movement, rhythmic entrainment and social connection, all at once, in a way that promoted recovery more than any of those elements in isolation.”
Pilot data shows that this repetitive, slow music and walking dance help re-map nerves damaged by chemotherapy, she added.
“This work is about helping survivors reclaim their lives and thrive, rather than just survive.”
Other institutions have also reported success in balance and cognition after using adapted tango with Parkinson’s disease patients.
This therapy could help individuals with other conditions, such as diabetes, dementia, neurodegenerative diseases and general aging, Worthen-Chaudhari noted.
In addition to cancer patients, dancing the tango could also help individuals with other conditions and could relieve general aging effects, the researchers stated. (iStock)
An expanded five-year study will continue to look into dual-task performance, with plans to recruit 140 breast cancer survivors at the OSU Cancer Center.
The researchers will explore whether the effects of tango therapy can be sustained over time to improve movement and cognitive functions.
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“In essence, this work is about helping survivors reclaim their lives and thrive, rather than just survive,” Worthen-Chaudhari wrote in the release.
“It’s about providing them with a fun, effective way to improve their sensory motor skills and reduce the fear of falling, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being.”
Worthen-Chaudhari, shared that she was “delighted” to find that tango with a friend could work just as well as exercise to alleviate these symptoms.
“I wanted to know if tango could do more than prevent decline … if it could stimulate neuro-recovery among those trying to recover from neuro-trauma,” she told Fox News Digital.
The rhythm of Argentine tango activates “entrainment” in the brain, the researchers said. (iStock)
“I’m excited about an option that doesn’t require sweating, such that you have to shower before going back to work or out to dinner.”
“In retrospect, I can see that it makes sense, but I was surprised that the results were clear even in an initial study of the idea,” the scientist added.
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She assured, “There is hope for recovery from the beating that cancer gives your body, brain and nerves.”
Aimee Kain, a breast cancer survivor and participant in the study, shared with Fox News Digital her “amazing” experience.
“This research and study showed me that something I already enjoy can become a treatment.”
“It not only connected me with other women who are living with some of the same side effects as me, but it was also a fun, lighthearted way to approach treatment,” she said. “There are huge benefits to that.”
“This research and study showed me that something I already enjoy can become a treatment.”
Kain reported that she’s currently healthy and doing “all the things I enjoy with minimal struggles” while looking forward to the future.
“That’s really all you can ask for,” she said.
The survivor encouraged others to give dance a try, even if it’s “a little outside your comfort zone.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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