Safety and efficacy of scalp hypothermia to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia: A study of a scalp-cooling system used in breast cancer women in a Mexican public hospital.

e12021 Background: Hair loss is one of the side effects associated with chemotherapy treatments. It causes emotional disturbances and constantly reminds the patient of the disease. This study analyzed the effectiveness of scalp-cooling system for prevention of alopecia in breast cancer patients. Methods: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of a scalp-cooling system to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia. 68 breast cancer patients receiving neo or adjuvant were included in a nonrandomized pilot study. The Dignicap system consists of a refrigerator unit and a control unit integrated into a mobile cabinet and connected to a tight-fitting cooling cap. Women accepting the scalp-cooling system were compared for alopecia against those who refused group of 68 patients similarly treated. Hair loss in the 136 study patients was evaluated by nurses using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria at each cycle of chemotherapy and photo documentation. Concomitantly, tolerance and side-effects...