Pattern Alopecia During Hormonal Anticancer Therapy in Patients with Breast Cancer

The document described five cases of female breast cancer patients who developed pattern alopecia while on hormonal anticancer therapy with antiestrogenic agents. The patients had previously experienced global hair loss due to cytotoxic chemotherapy but developed pattern alopecia after recovery. Three patients showed male pattern hair loss, and two showed female pattern hair loss. The study suggested that the androgen-estrogen imbalance from the antiestrogenic drugs might cause pattern alopecia. Pattern alopecia during hormonal therapy is not as well recognized as chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Topical treatments improved hair loss in three out of the five patients, indicating a need for awareness and treatment strategies for hair loss in patients on long-term antiestrogen therapy.