ERALOP Study: Post Adjuvant FEC-Docetaxel Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer: Hair Regrowth in Real Life
May 2015
in “
Cancer research
”
Studysummary This study found that persistent significant alopecia was a common side effect following FEC-docetaxel chemotherapy, with a 33.4% global incidence, highlighting the need for awareness and potential preventative measures like cooling caps during treatment.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
The ERALOP study, conducted in 2015, retrospectively examined the incidence of persistent significant alopecia (PSA) in 829 patients who underwent FEC 100-docetaxel 100 mg/msq chemotherapy for early breast cancer between 2008 and 2009. Six months after the last docetaxel course, 8.6% of patients experienced grade 2 PSA (hair loss > 50% with a psychosocial impact), 32.6% had grade 1 PSA (hair loss of up to 50%), and 56% had no PSA. At the time of the inquiry (median follow-up of 3.7 years), the global PSA incidence was 33.4%. Between 6 months after the last docetaxel course and the time of the inquiry, slight or total hair regrowth was observed in patients with PSA grade 2 and 1. However, many patients experienced suboptimal regrowth of eyelash (31%), eyebrow (47%), pubic hair (27%), and nail disorders (27%). All oral treatments tested, including dexpanthenol, biotin, methionine cysteine, and cystin-vitamin B6, showed no efficacy, while topical minoxidil showed slight efficacy. The high level of PSA led to the ALOPREV trial to investigate the use of a cooling cap during docetaxel infusion to prevent alopecia.
