Chemotherapy-Induced Hair Loss: The Use of Biomarkers for Predicting Alopecic Severity and Treatment Efficacy

摘要

Damage to hair follicles following exposure to toxic chemotherapeutics can cause substantial hair loss, commonly known aschemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). Preventive therapies remain limited; however, recent advances in the use of scalp cooling technologieshave proved successful in preventing or reducing hair loss in some patients. Further improvements in scalp cooling efficacy and/or developmentof novel treatments to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss are required. To achieve this, post-chemotherapy assessment of hair follicledamage markers, with and without scalp cooling, would provide invaluable mechanistic and prognostic information. At present, the availabilityof such data is extremely limited. This article describes the potential utility of a combination of biomarkers in assessing drug-induced alopeciaand the protective potential of existing or new treatments. A greater understanding of the precise mechanisms of anti-CIA therapies throughbiomarker analysis would enhance the rationale, use, and development of such treatments.