Data from a registry spanning 13 years has provided new insights into scalp cooling to treat chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Toni Brook and Daniel Milner provide an overview of the key findings and implications for practice.
For decades, chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) has remained one of the most visible and distressing side effects of cancer treatment. Managing the psychological and emotional tolls of cancer is just as critical as managing the physical ones. Hair loss can severely impact a patient's identity, privacy and confidence, making strategies for managing this side-effect crucial. The psychological impact caused by CIA can also extend to families, causing emotional distress for everyone including young children, who see evident physical changes to their loved one.
Scalp cooling has long been the only scientifically validated method of reducing chemotherapy hair loss. In the UK, the Paxman mechanised scalp cooling system is present in 99% of NHS and private hospitals. However, access to this treatment is still inconsistent across cancer centres in other parts of the world.
In an unprecedented study — the Dutch Scalp Cooling Registry — the case for scalp cooling in prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia is stronger than ever. Spanning 13 years, the registry documents the experiences of 7,424 patients who underwent mechanised scalp cooling across 68 hospitals. By examining patient outcomes across 24 different chemotherapy regimens, the study provides valuable insights into the factors that affect the efficacy of scalp cooling to mitigate chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA).
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