Female pattern hair loss possibly caused by tamoxifen: Androgen receptor expression in the outer root sheath in the affected area

摘要

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by the vellus transformation of scalp hairs with corresponding hair follicle miniaturization during repeated hair cycles with a shortened anagen phase.1 It is assumed that this phenomenon is mediated by androgen.1 AGA can be induced by agents that have androgenic effects, such as drugs for the treatment of breast cancer, mastopathy and osteoporosis, as well as androgenic anabolic steroids. Tamoxifen acts as an estrogen receptor antagonist in breast tissue through its active metabolite, hydroxytamoxifen. It is used in anti-estrogen therapy for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in premenopausal women. In this report, we present a rare case of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), possibly caused by tamoxifen with immuno-histochemical analysis of androgen receptor (AR). A 27-year-old woman receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer presented at our clinic with long-lasting alopecia. Her alopecia started during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.