Scalp Hypothermia as a Preventative Measure for Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia: A Review of Controlled Clinical Trials

    October 2017 in “ JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology ”
    Vidhi V. Shah, Tongyu C. Wikramanayake, G.M. DelCanto, Corina van den Hurk, Shenhong Wu, Mario E. Lacouture, Joaquín J. Jiménez
    TLDR Scalp cooling effectively reduces hair loss from chemotherapy.
    The review of controlled clinical trials on scalp hypothermia as a preventative measure for chemotherapy-induced alopecia concluded that scalp cooling significantly reduced hair loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Among 1,107 patients in 10 controlled clinical trials, 28% of those who received scalp cooling experienced hair loss compared to 76% who did not. In 8 randomized controlled trials with 375 patients, 52% of those who received scalp cooling preserved their hair versus 9.5% in the control group. The studies indicated that patients receiving scalp cooling were 2.7 to 5.5 times more likely to avoid hair loss. Despite some variability due to different chemotherapy regimens and cooling methods, the overall data supported the efficacy of scalp cooling, with common adverse events being cold intolerance and mild headaches. Concerns about scalp metastasis were minimal. The review highlighted the need for further research to establish standardized guidelines for optimal use.
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