Minoxidil as a Prophylaxis of Doxorubicin-Induced Alopecia

The study evaluated the effectiveness of Minoxidil (Mx) 2% topical solution in preventing doxorubicin-induced alopecia in 48 female cancer patients. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either Mx or a placebo, and both groups showed severe alopecia with no significant difference between them. The study concluded that Mx 2% topical solution was non-toxic but not effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia. The study suggests that few trials have been conducted to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia, and Mx, which is used to induce hair growth in men with male-pattern baldness, was not effective in preventing doxorubicin-induced alopecia.