Clinical And Genetic Predictors Of Persistent Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Despite Scalp Cooling In Breast Cancer

    November 2025 in “ npj Breast Cancer
    Hyunwoo Lee, Nayeon Kim, Soo‐Yeon Kim, Jiyeon Kim, Yeonhee Park, Hee Kyung Ahn, Jae Hwa Cho, Danbee Kang, Jin Seok Ahn
    TLDR Tamoxifen increases the risk of lasting hair loss after chemotherapy despite scalp cooling.
    In a study of 123 women with stage I-III breast cancer undergoing scalp cooling during anthracycline- and/or taxane-based chemotherapy, 12% experienced persistent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (PCIA) at 6 months post-treatment. Tamoxifen monotherapy emerged as a strong independent risk factor for PCIA, with an adjusted odds ratio of 11.66, suggesting it may impair follicular recovery. Variants in chr20p11 and HLA-DQB1 showed non-significant trends. The study emphasizes the need for individualized counseling and dermatologic follow-up for patients using scalp cooling.
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