Scalp cooling may prevent hair loss from cancer treatment

One of the earliest concerns to cross the minds of cancer patients is “Will I lose my hair?” In response to patient requests, and after studies established their efficacy, GBMC is making scalp cooling technology available to infusion patients. 

Leaders in the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute have contracted with Paxman and prepared staff to deliver scalp cooling, where appropriate, to patients in the Herman and Walter Samuelson Infusion Center. 

The technology is not effective for everyone. It can only be used with certain chemotherapy drugs and, where it can help, only promises to prevent up to 50% of hair loss. That said, patients who scalp cool can see faster and healthier hair regrowth. 

Scalp cooling is exactly as it sounds. The patient receiving treatment is fitted with a pair of caps: one close to the scalp and another outer cap that covers the first one. They are attached to a system that continuously circulates coolant liquid around the inner cap. The patient wears the cold cap for an allotted time before chemotherapy begins, during chemotherapy administration and, then for a time after infusion therapy is completed. 

“Patients say it feels like you might expect,” explains Dawn Stefanik, Director of Infusion and Oncology Support Services. “The cap fits snugly on your head and becomes very cold – and stays very cold. It can take a while to get used to it.” 

For many patients, the discomfort is a small price to pay for maintaining a sense of self or normalcy while going through treatment. The cooling provided by the caps causes blood vessels in the scalp to narrow. By slowing blood flow to the scalp, the coolant makes it more difficult for some drugs to enter the cells and kill hair follicles. 

According to a booklet provided by Paxman, for those whose treatment plans are a good match for scalp cooling, “a patient has a 50% chance of retaining half of their hair.” While there is no charge for a personal scalp kit, there is a cost, which starts at $350 per treatment and fluctuates, depending on the number of chemotherapy treatments the patient will be receiving. The company caps pricing per patient at $2,400, according to its educational publications. 

With Berman Cancer Institute Medical Director Paul Celano, MD, FACP, FASCO, Stefanik and others studied research on scalp cooling and its effectiveness for patients. As they moved into the new Sandra R. Berman Pavilion, they made preparations to offer the technology to patients. Stefanik and the Infusion team are prepared to answer questions and have educational information to share with interested patients.