Novel Approaches to the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

Alopecia is a common and most distressing side effect of cancer chemotherapy. Although of no prognostic significance, alopecia can impact heavily on the quality of life in the cancer patient. Thus, in a recent study, 35 of 46 patients receiving chemotherapy ranked alopecia as a more important side effect than vomiting (1). There are currently no satisfactory methods to prevent it. Our work using the young rat model has provided new insight into the problem and has opened new avenues for further investigation. Furthermore some of the agents we have recently used successfully to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia in the young rat have excellent potential applicability in the clinical setting.