Athina Fonia1, Carlo Cota2, Jane F Setterfield3, Lynne J Goldberg4, David A Fenton1, Catherine M Stefanato5. 1. St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. 2. Institute of San Gallicano, Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri, Rome, Italy. 3. St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust, London, United Kingdom. 4. Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. 5. St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Department of Dermatopathology, St John's Institute of Dermatology, NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: catherinestefanato@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anagen effluvium with reversible scalp alopecia is a known side effect of chemotherapy. However, there are an increasing number of reports in the literature documenting permanent alopecia in patients treated with taxanes. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the clinicopathologic features in breast cancer patients who underwent treatment with taxanes and adjuvant hormonal chemotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and histopathologic information of a cohort of 10 patients treated with taxanes and adjuvant hormonal chemotherapy. RESULTS: We have observed 3 types of clinical patterns of alopecia (types A, B, and C), and have validated the histopathologic features showing alopecia areata-like and female pattern hair loss. LIMITATIONS: The study was based on a small sample size and retrospective retrieval of clinical information and histopathologic review of posttreatment slides. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize a clinicopathologic model of hair follicle cycle disruption in response to the chemoinflammatory and hormonal insults to the hair follicles resulting in permanent alopecia. Clinicopathologic correlation is paramount to the understanding of the morphobiologic pathways in chemotherapy-induced alopecia caused by taxanes and adjuvant hormonal treatment.
BACKGROUND: Anagen effluvium with reversible scalp alopecia is a known side effect of chemotherapy. However, there are an increasing number of reports in the literature documenting permanent alopecia in patients treated with taxanes. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the clinicopathologic features in breast cancerpatients who underwent treatment with taxanes and adjuvant hormonal chemotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and histopathologic information of a cohort of 10 patients treated with taxanes and adjuvant hormonal chemotherapy. RESULTS: We have observed 3 types of clinical patterns of alopecia (types A, B, and C), and have validated the histopathologic features showing alopecia areata-like and female pattern hair loss. LIMITATIONS: The study was based on a small sample size and retrospective retrieval of clinical information and histopathologic review of posttreatment slides. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize a clinicopathologic model of hair follicle cycle disruption in response to the chemoinflammatory and hormonal insults to the hair follicles resulting in permanent alopecia. Clinicopathologic correlation is paramount to the understanding of the morphobiologic pathways in chemotherapy-induced alopecia caused by taxanes and adjuvant hormonal treatment.
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