Scalp Cooling Impact in Alopecia of Patients Under Treatment for Breast Cancer—Literature Review

Abstract

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is a common side effect of breast cancer therapies. Thus, the objective of this study was to carry out a bibliographic survey concerning the effectiveness of scalp cooling in alopecia of patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The search was conducted in the databases LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences), PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science, by using “scalp cooling” AND “breast cancer” as search terms. Articles from the last 5 years were selected, which included cohort studies, case reports, and randomized studies. The final sample consisted of 16 publications. Data from the studies revealed that the use of hypothermic cap was effective in reducing alopecia. In addition, factors such as temperature and time of cap usage, dose and combination of medications, and hair care influenced in the reduction of hair loss. It was possible to observe that treatment schedules without anthracyclines were more responsive to the effects of scalp cooling, reducing hair loss. Therefore, this study gathered relevant information, showing that scalp cooling is effective and its use should be encouraged by health professionals.