Persistent Radiation-Induced Alopecia in Patients with Central Nervous System Tumors and Head and Neck Sarcomas

The study investigated persistent radiation-induced alopecia (pRIA) in 62 patients with central nervous system tumors or head and neck sarcomas, revealing that concurrent chemotherapy with radiotherapy (RT) was a significant risk factor for severe alopecia. The mean age of patients was 33 years, with a mean duration of 3.1 years between RT and pRIA diagnosis. The study found that 73% of patients treated with 5% minoxidil showed some response, though only 14% had complete hair regrowth. Procedural interventions like hair transplantation and scalp reconstruction showed potential for complete resolution in some cases. The findings suggested the need for prospective trials to better assess treatment efficacy.