Scalp Cooling for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia: Descriptive Study
September 2022
in “
Concilium
”
Studysummary This study found that scalp cooling effectively prevented chemotherapy-induced alopecia in patients, with a higher success rate observed in those who did not receive anthracyclines, although some experienced scalp pain and other mild adverse effects.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
The study aimed to describe the effectiveness of scalp cooling in preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia and its adverse effects. It included 199 women with an average age of 54, primarily with breast cancer. The average number of scalp cooling sessions was 8.24. Alopecia prevention was successful in 85.7% of patients on anthracycline protocols and 96.7% on non-anthracycline protocols. Adverse effects included scalp pain (26% after 10 minutes, 24% after 30 minutes), headache (11.6%), cold intolerance (23.1%), and dizziness (10.6%). The conclusion was that scalp cooling is effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia, but pain management protocols are necessary.
