Categorization of Long-Lasting Hair Changes in Patients After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants

The document reports a study that aimed to characterize long-lasting hair changes in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) and to determine whether these changes are associated with chemotherapy or other factors. The study, conducted from June 2017 to August 2017 at Massachusetts General Hospital, included 17 patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) who had undergone HSCT. Through patient interviews, chart reviews, and clinical examinations, the researchers found that all patients experienced complete hair loss immediately following chemotherapy induction treatment, with hair regrowth observed on average after 5.9 months. Seventy-six percent of patients reported long-standing changes to their hair, including color (38.5%), texture (38.5%), and morphology (15.4%). The majority of patients with hair changes (69.2%) had received either busulfan/fludarabine or fludarabine/melphalan as their conditioning regimen before HSCT. The study concludes that long-standing hair changes following HSCT are not well understood and that further research is needed to better understand the factors influencing these changes in order to improve patient education and expectations.