Imported tech to reduce chemo patients’ hair loss

THE TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL CONDUCTED THE TRIAL ON 51 WOMEN UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER

Mumbai:patients undergoing chemotherapy may no longer go bald.

Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Parel, recently completed trials of an imported technology that will reduce hair loss in patients during chemotherapy.

Trials on the scalp-cooling technology, which reduces the side effects of chemicals on hair follicles during chemotherapy, started two years ago and the hospital said it is now ready to offer the technique to its patients.

The hospital said the trial achieved 56% hair retention rate during radiation among patients and 85% hair regrowth after treatment, compared to almost 100% hair loss and 12% regrowth rate among patients, who were not part of the trial. Dr Jyoti Bajpai, professor of department of medical oncology at TMH, said, “Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells in the body which also affects hair, leading to alopecia (baldness). Through scalp-cooling technology, we limit the damage of hair follicles by reducing the temperature of the scalp to around 18 degrees, before, during and after chemotherapy. This causes vasoconstriction, which reduces blood flow to hair follicles by narrowing down the blood vessels, minimising hair loss.”

The trial has been conducted with two most commonly used drugs in cancer chemotherapy — taxane and anthracycline. “Through the trial, we just wanted to find out the success rate of it so we have incorporated the two most commonly used drugs in the process. The two drugs are used in chemotherapy for treatment of cancer patients. So, even though the trial was only on patients suffering from breast cancer, it would be useful for all cancer patients,” added Bajpai. The result showed that the success rate of taxane was higher than anthracycline used in the chemotherapy.

The clinical trial was done on 51 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. A patient wears a cooling cap with attached coolant tubes for at least 30 minutes before therapy. The tubes remain connected to a refrigeration unit which circulates the coolant to the cap. After chemotherapy, the standard postcooling time is 90 minutes. Dr Shripad D Banavali, head of department, paediatric oncology, TMH, said that more than girl children, the technology will help younger patients in their psychological improvement.