Alopecia in a premenopausal breast cancer woman treated with letrozole and triptorelin
October 2003
in “
Annals of Oncology
”
TLDR Hair loss can occur as a side effect of certain breast cancer treatments, but minoxidil can help regrow hair.
A 37-year-old premenopausal woman with relapsed breast cancer developed diffuse non-scarring alopecia after 6 months of treatment with triptorelin and letrozole. The alopecia was attributed to a hormonal imbalance towards androgenization of hair follicles, possibly due to decreased estradiol and aromatase activity. Minoxidil 2% was effective in stopping hair loss and promoting regrowth. This case highlighted the potential for alopecia as a side effect of combining LHRHa with non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors, emphasizing the need for oncologists to consider such adverse events in treatment planning and provide psychological support to affected patients.