Improving Preparation for Scalp Cooling: Learning from Women Undergoing Chemotherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer—The COOL Study
December 2021
in “
Journal of Clinical Nursing
”
Studysummary This study observed that women with early-stage breast cancer often felt inadequately prepared for the discomfort and time commitments of scalp cooling during chemotherapy, leading to the development of patient-co-produced informational resources to better prepare them. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The COOL study investigated the experiences of women undergoing scalp cooling (SC) during chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer, involving 49 survey participants and 23 interviewees. It found that while SC could reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia by 43% to 61%, many women were unprepared for its discomfort and limited efficacy, leading to unmet expectations and distress. Despite these challenges, most valued SC for maintaining privacy and identity. The study emphasized the need for better preparatory information, including co-produced resources and specialized nurse training, to improve patient experiences and informed decision-making.
