Trastuzumab Induced Chemobrain, Atorvastatin Rescued Chemobrain with Enhanced Anticancer Effect and without Hair Loss Side Effect

The study found that trastuzumab (TZB) therapy induced chemo-brain, characterized by decreased cerebral glucose metabolism and gray matter concentration in the frontal lobe, as evidenced by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data. Atorvastatin (ATV) was able to reverse these effects and improve cognitive function, as confirmed by a passive avoidance test and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR. Additionally, ATV treatment resulted in a 100% increase in the penetration and accumulation of TZB in tumors, enhancing its anticancer efficacy. The study, which used an animal model with 150 μg TZB and five serial doses of 20 mg/kg ATV, also reported no hair loss side effects from ATV therapy.