Absence of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia with Paclitaxel in a Case of Hypothyroidism: Case Report
October 2003
in “
Annals of Oncology
”
TLDR A woman with low thyroid function did not lose her hair during chemotherapy, possibly because her hair follicles were less affected by the treatment.
In a case report from 2003, a 69-year-old woman with serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary did not experience chemotherapy-induced alopecia during treatment with paclitaxel and carboplatin or cisplatin, likely due to hypothyroidism caused by her discontinuation of thyroxine replacement therapy. After chemotherapy, when thyroid function was restored, she developed grade 2 alopecia. The report suggests that the hypothyroid state may have caused hair follicles to enter the telogen (rest) phase, during which paclitaxel is less effective, preventing hair loss. Once normal thyroid function resumed, the hair follicles completed the telogen phase, leading to hair shedding and subsequent alopecia. This case highlights a rare interaction between thyroid hormones and chemotherapy drugs in hair growth regulation, suggesting that understanding these mechanisms could lead to better treatments for chemotherapy-induced alopecia.
