Incidence of long-term hair loss (LHL) following docetaxel (D)-containing non-anthracycline (A) adjuvant chemotherapy (Adj) of early stage breast cancer (ESB).

e12522Background: Taxane-containing Adj is an accepted life-prolonging component of modern multi-modal ESB therapy. One of the most distressing complications of Adj is alopecia. While patients (pts) are usually reassured that this is temporary, there have been troubling reports of LHL, generally with regimens that include D and A. We attempted to define the incidence of LHL in a large cohort of patients who received Adj which contained D without A. Methods: Pts who received Adj/neo-Adj which contained D but not A for ESB in clinical trials, or as standard of care in our single academic institution were identified. Pts had completed Adj more than one year. Trials pts were contacted directly, non-trials pts assessed during clinic visits. LHL was graded as 0,1 or 2 (CTCAE). Results: We identified 368 pts, with a median follow-up of >5 years. Pts received DC4 or DC6 (D/cyclophosphamide 75/600 mg/2 iv 3-weekly 4 or 6 times); or DPH (D 75 mg/m2, carboplatin AUC 6 and trastuzumab given 3-weekly iv). LHL occurred...