Effectiveness of the MSC cold cap system in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effectiveness of the MSC cold cap system to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia.


METHODS
The system was applied in 83 cancer patients (mean age 49.8 years) undergoing chemotherapy with alopecia-causing agents. Seven patients did not tolerate the system. Seventy-six patients were evaluable for assessment; 26 received anthracycline (group A), 33 taxane (group T), 5 anthracycline plus taxane (group AT), 7 intravenous etoposide (group E) and 5 ifosfamide with or without other alopecia-causing drugs (group I). In group A, 18 patients received conventional (subgroup Ac) and 8 high doses (subgroup Ah). In group T, 8 patients received docetaxel (subgroup D) and 25 paclitaxel (subgroup P). Alopecia grade 0-1 (Dean's system) was considered as treatment success.


RESULTS
Grade 0-1 alopecia was achieved in 49/76 (64.5%) patients: group T 23/33 (69.6%), subgroup P 16/25 (64%) and subgroup D 7/8 (87.5%); group A 18/26 (69.2%), subgroup Ac 16/18 (88.8%) and subgroup Ah 2/8 (25%); group AT 1/5 (20%); group E 6/7 (85.7%), and group I 1/5 (20%).


CONCLUSIONS
The MSC cold cap system is effective in preventing alopecia from anthracycline, etoposide or taxane but not from anthracycline-taxane combinations or ifosfamide-containing regimens.
Christodoulou
C
C
Oncology Department, Errikos Dynan Hospital, Athens, Greece. hecogiat@otenet.gr
Klouvas
G
G
Efstathiou
E
E
Zervakis
D
D
Papazachariou
E
E
Plyta
M
M
Skarlos
D V
DV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D005047:Etoposide / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects; D012535:Scalp; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005047:Etoposide; D017239:Paclitaxel; D007069:Ifosfamide