title: Incidence of scalp metastases in breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study in women who were offered scalp cooling.
abstract: Scalp cooling is an intervention used to decrease the degree of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. The objective is to determine the incidence of scalp metastases among women with early breast cancer who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women with breast carcinoma diagnosed between June 1, 1998 and June 30, 2002. The median follow-up was 5.8 years (+/-1.7) for the scalp cooling group (n = 553) and 5.4 years (+/-1.7) for the non-scalp cooling group (n = 87). The incidence of scalp metastases was 1.1% (6 cases out of 553 patients) among women who used scalp cooling in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting and 1.2% also (1 case out of 87 patients) among women who did not use scalp cooling in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. The incidence of scalp metastases was low and no case presented as an isolated site of relapse.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie et oncologie, Centre des maladies du sein Deschênes-Fabia and Unité de recherche en santé des populations of the Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Université Laval, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Room JS1-01, Québec, QC, G1S 4L8, Canada. julie.lemieux@uresp.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amireault
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Provencher
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maunsell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000556:secondary*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012535:Scalp / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents