Stroke
What is a stroke?
The brain allows you to speak, think, feel, and move, and it controls the processes in the body. Like all parts of your body, the brain needs oxygen. Oxygen is transported to the brain through the blood vessels. Sometimes something goes wrong with the blood supply to the brain. A blood vessel becomes blocked or ruptures, causing part of the brain to receive too little oxygen. This is called a stroke.
Do I have an increased risk of a stroke?
Anyone, including people who have never had cancer, can have a stroke, but some cancer treatments can increase the risk.
The following treatments can increase the risk of a stroke:
Radiotherapy to the head, brain, or neck, or to an area that includes the head, brain, or neck
Total body irradiation
You can check your treatment summary to see whether you received these treatments. If you do not have a summary, you can contact the LATER clinic or the hospital where you were treated. A stroke does not always result from cancer treatment. Other causes include high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and ageing. You are also at higher risk if strokes occur frequently in your family.
What are the symptoms and signs of a stroke?
Certain symptoms and signs may indicate a stroke. Even if you do not have these symptoms or signs at the moment, it is important to recognize them in case they occur in the future. The symptoms and signs vary depending on which part of the brain is affected by the stroke.
The following symptoms and signs indicate a stroke:
Drooping face: one corner of the mouth suddenly droops
Slurred or confused speech: suddenly speaking unclearly or incoherently
Weak arm: sudden loss of strength or paralysis of one arm
Problems seeing or double vision
Sudden, severe headache that is unusual
I have an increased risk of a stroke. What tests are needed and when?
If you have an increased risk of a stroke, your regular visits to the LATER clinic are sufficient. During the extensive medical history and physical examination, specific attention is paid to neurological symptoms.
What happens if I have symptoms or signs of a stroke?
Symptoms and signs of a stroke usually start suddenly, and it is important to act quickly. Call the emergency number immediately or have someone else call for you. When it comes to a stroke, every minute counts.
Sometimes the symptoms and signs disappear after a few minutes or hours. In that case, you probably had a TIA (transient ischemic attack), a temporary blockage of a blood vessel. With mild or short- lasting symptoms or signs, it is not always a stroke, but it is still important to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Your general practitioner will probably refer you to a:
Neurologist (doctor specialized in the brain and spinal cord)
Neurosurgeon (surgeon specialized in the brain and spinal cord)
Vascular surgeon (surgeon specialized in blood vessels)
What else can I do?
Living with (an increased risk of) a stroke can be difficult. Talking to friends and family can help. Contact with people in a similar situation may also be helpful, for example through a patient organization such as VOX, part of the Dutch Childhood Cancer Organization.
Take good care of yourself. You can reduce your risk of a stroke by maintaining a healthy lifestyle; for example, high blood pressure is an important risk factor. Make sure you get enough physical activity. Also take care of your mental health. Small changes can already have a positive effect on your physical and mental well-being.
It is important to know that you have an increased risk of a stroke and to recognize the symptoms and signs. If you have questions or feel worried after reading this information, contact your general practitioner or LATER doctor.
Where can I find more information?
On this LATER website you can also find information about:
Healthy lifestyle
Dyslipidemia
High blood pressure
Mental health
Overweight and obesity
Impaired glucose metabolism and diabetes
The PanCare Plain Language Summaries provide links to reliable information in English. You can search online for information about strokes, but be aware that this information may not always be up to date or accurate.
Disclaimer
This information is based on the plain language summary of the guideline below, prepared by the PanCare Plain Information Group, and has been adapted where necessary to the Dutch LATER guideline. Do not rely solely on this information for symptoms or signs; consult your GP, LATER physician, or specialist.