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Scalp cooling in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel–cyclophosphamide: patient- and nurse-reported results

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment volume 186, pages 715–722 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Recent evidence supports the efficacy of scalp cooling in preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia in breast cancer treatments. However, efficacy largely varies between treatment regimens. The aim of this study was to explore the patient- and nurse-reported results of scalp cooling in terms of hair loss and need for a wig/head cover in patients with breast cancer treated with 3-weekly docetaxel 75 mg/m2– cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2.

Methods

We studied nurse-reported efficacy as noted in the electronic patient files of 85 patients treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m2– cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 between 1/1/2017 and 1/1/2020. Sixty-nine of them also self-reported on their scalp cooling results up to one year after adjuvant chemotherapy in a retrospective way.

Results

Nurse- and patient-reported data showed that scalp cooling was successful (i.e., hair loss < 50%) in 47.1 and 44.9% of patients, respectively, and 55% of patients were (very) satisfied with the result of scalp cooling. Scalp cooling was perceived as (very) uncomfortable in 36.2% of patients. Regarding hair status one year after treatment, 47 patients (55.3%) reported no changes compared to their hair status before treatment.

Conclusions

Scalp cooling is successful in preventing severe chemotherapy-induced alopecia in almost half of the patients with breast cancer treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m2– cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2. Better understanding of the success rate of scalp cooling enables correct patient information and decision-making support.

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Data availability

Data are available upon request via 10.5281/zenodo.4288685. Code is available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all patients for participating in the study.

Funding

This study was funded by the Estée Lauder University Fund.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology Nursing, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    A. Coolbrandt, E. Dejaeger & K. Vancoille

  2. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Academic Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    A. Coolbrandt

  3. Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    A. T’Jonck & K. Blauwens

  4. Multidisciplinary Breast Centre, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    P. Neven, K. Punie & H. Wildiers

Authors
  1. A. Coolbrandt
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  2. A. T’Jonck
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  3. K. Blauwens
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  4. E. Dejaeger
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  5. P. Neven
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  6. K. Punie
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  7. K. Vancoille
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  8. H. Wildiers
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Coolbrandt.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of UZ/KU Leuven.

Informed consent

Written informed consent to participate was obtained from all patients participating in the evaluation of patient-reported data. Written informed consent for publication of their details was obtained from all patients participating in the evaluation of patient-reported data.

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Coolbrandt, A., T’Jonck, A., Blauwens, K. et al. Scalp cooling in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel–cyclophosphamide: patient- and nurse-reported results. Breast Cancer Res Treat 186, 715–722 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-020-06063-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-020-06063-w

Keywords

  • Scalp cooling
  • Alopecia
  • Hair loss
  • Taxane
  • Breast cancer