TLDR A cancer patient's hair became permanently curly after treatment with nivolumab.
The document described the first reported case of a persistent curly hair phenotype in a patient with metastatic squamous cell lung cancer treated with nivolumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor. While cutaneous side effects such as pruritus, vitiligo, and lichenoid skin eruptions were known for PD-1 inhibitors, alopecia had been the only hair-related effect previously documented. This case highlighted a novel and puzzling side effect, expanding the spectrum of dermatologic reactions associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
192 citations,
January 2015 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Targeted cancer therapies often cause serious skin problems that need careful management.
87 citations,
December 2016 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” Cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors may develop alopecia, but some hair regrowth is possible with treatment.
14 citations,
February 2023 in “Frontiers in immunology” Immune checkpoint inhibitors can cause skin issues but are linked to better cancer outcomes.
10 citations,
January 2021 in “Annals of dermatology/Annals of Dermatology” Nivolumab can cause hair loss as a rare side effect.
Modern skin cancer treatments can cause skin side effects and hair loss, affecting patients' quality of life.
53 citations,
April 2018 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Cancer treatments often cause hair disorders, significantly affecting patients' quality of life, and better management methods are needed.
