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Permanent hairloss can result from some standard chemotherapy regimens. Cite Taxotere

Scalp cooling offers a means of preventing both permanent and temporary alopecia, hairloss.[1][2] Scalp cooling has been utilized for decades in Europe. Older methods of scalp cooling did not always achieve effective results. Some previous methods of scalp cooling required the use of an ice filled cap which was placed on the head to cool the scalp and tightly bound with use of a tourniquet. Other older scalp cooling caps consisted of a composition of glycerin, of which, were chilled to the required temperature before placement on the scalp.

Scalp cooling is a standard of medical care in Europe, whereas in the United States little has been done to implement its use as a means of preventing chemotherapy induced alopecia in the chemotherapy patient’s standard of medical care.

Most often it is reported by those in the medical community that scalp cooling doesn't work. Most probably because they are vaguely familiar with older methods of scalp cooling. Another assumption most often cited by physician's is that scalp cooling could possibly increase the incidence of developing scalp metastasis in the future. There is no evidence on which to base this assertion.[3][4]

While few companies offer the availability of the scalp cooling systems to the public, there is one company based in London, England which does offer use to the public. Medical Specialties of California[5] has designed a scalp cooling cap-the Penguin cold cap. The Penguin cold caps are filled with a patented gel mixture encased within a crylon outer shell. MSC[5] provides rental of the Penguin scalp cooling caps to the public. The company is is based in London, England. The caps are manufactured in California of the United States.[14]The Penguin cold caps require frequent cap changes for the duration of the chemotherapy infusion and for a limited time thereafter.

Presently two companies are currently manufacturing other scalp cooling cap systems, which are not yet available to the public.[5][6] They have been tested for their effectiveness in clinical trials in Europe.[7]-[13] In the clinical trials each patient receiving the scalp cooling treatment would wear one cap for the duration of the chemotherapy infusion and for a limited amount of time following the infusion. The cap is connected to a machine which circulates the cooling liquid to maintain the proper temperature for scalp cooling effectiveness.

Here is the link to the Penguin Cold Cap study presented at the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium [1] http://www.abstracts2view.com/sabcs09/viewp.php?nu=p5040 Here is the link to the abstract for the study: [2] http://www.abstracts2view.com/sabcs09/view.php?nu=SABCS09L_1975&terms=

Publications on Scalp metastasis: [3]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21431870 [4]http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/2/350.1.full [5]http://www.msc-worldwide.com/index.html [6]http://www.dignitana.com/ [7]http://www.paxman-coolers.co.uk/

[8-13] [8] Lundgren-Eriksson et al. Total prevention of taxoid-induced alopecia by a new model of cold cap, Eur J Cancer, 1999;35 (suppl 4): 376. [9] Henriksen et al. Advanced, computerised cold cap for preventing chemotherapy induced alopecia. Eur J Cancer, 2003;1(5):369. [10] Ridderheim et al. Scalp hypothermia to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia is effective and safe: a pilot study of a new digitized scalp-cooling system used in 74 patients. Support Care Cancer, 2003;11:371–7. [11] Byahov. Alopecia prevention in chemotherapy patients. Methods of controlled scalp cooling. Meditsinskaya Cartoteka, 2006. [12] Kato et al. Evaluation of DigniCap™ system for the prevention of chemotherapy induced hair loss in breast cancer patients. Poster: 16th Japanese Breast Cancer Society in Osaka, Sept 26–27, 2008. [13] Massey SM. A multicentre study to determine the efficacy and patient acceptability of the Paxman Scalp Cooler to prevent hair loss in patients receiving chemotherapy. Eur J Oncol Nursing; 8: 121-130, 2004 [14] De Vries NF and Andersen OK. Scalp cooling as a method of avoiding alopecia in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Presented at ECCO 11 Lisbon, 2001.