Greater understanding about hair loss caused by chemotherapy

Abstract

Abstract Linked Article: Piccini et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:129–141. One of the more severe and most-feared side-effects of chemotherapy is hair loss, which can significantly affect the quality of life of patients undergoing these treatments. Sometimes, this can even lead to rejection of treatment by patients, especially women. Luckily, in almost all patients, the hair regrows within 3 months of stopping treatment. However, in some patients, hair loss can be permanent and this can result in substantial distress. Unfortunately, there are no established treatments to prevent or restore hair growth in these patients. In this international study, we used hair samples taken from the scalp of healthy people to induce a condition that simulates the effects of chemotherapy in patients with cancer in the laboratory. We showed that chemotherapy can result in damage to the cells in the hair follicle that are responsible for replenishing the cells in charge of hair growth, a subset of cells called stem cells. Not only does chemotherapy bring about events that eventually resulted in death of these stem cells, but it can also stimulate the transformation of these cells into scarring tissue, an irreversible process that prevents the growth of new hairs. With this greater understanding of the mechanisms that lead to hair damage, we have tried using a compound, called NAGED (N-acetyl-GED-0507-34-Levo), to protect the stem cells from depletion and damage in the laboratory. Although still far from being able to use this new information in a clinical setting, this study offers hope for the development of a potential treatment that could be applied to the scalp and that can be used to potentially prevent permanent hair loss in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Linked Article: Piccini et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:129–141.