Surgery to remove lymph nodes in the neck may interfere with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage from the brain, contributing to cognitive impairment, according to new multicenter research led by Weill Cornell Medicine scientists.
The paper, published Sept. 29 in Neuron, found that patients with head and neck cancer undergoing cervical lymphadenectomy, a procedure to remove nearby lymph nodes to reduce cancer spread, had a higher rate of cognitive impairment than the general population. The researchers went on to demonstrate in preclinical studies how the procedure can disrupt the brain's waste-clearance system, leading to fluid buildup and a molecular process called oxidative stress that damages cell proteins and triggers inflammation.
Dr. Laura Santambrogio
