The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has recommended scalp cooling for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA).
Background
Chemotherapy-induced hair loss is widely recognised as one of the most traumatic side-effects associated with cancer treatment. Scalp cooling, or the ‘cold cap’, works by lowering scalp temperature before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy. In so doing it alleviates the damage caused to the hair follicle, thus helping patients to retain their hair during treatment.
Paxman’s Scalp Cooling System’s clinically proven hair loss prevention system is used at a large number of cancer centres and hospitals in Europe, North, Central and South America, Asia and Oceania.
ESMO, the leading professional organisation for medical oncology has updated its Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dermatological Toxicities Related to Anticancer Agents.
The adoption of this recommendation follows the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) 2019 Clinical Practice Guidelines in oncology for breast cancer to include scalp cooling as a Category 2A recommendation. Similarly Cancer Australia included the therapy in its Clinical Practice Guidelines in oncology for Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer and Primary Peritoneal Cancer along with the updated ‘Guidance for the management of early breast cancer’ earlier this year.
British Scalp cooling expert Paxman – whose pioneering cold cap system has helped over 100,000 cancer patients worldwide to retain their hair during chemotherapy – welcomed the recommendation and its wider potential for positive change.
Company comments
Richard Paxman, CEO of Paxman, commented: “Clinical Practice Guidelines effectively determine standards of care around the world and this adoption by ESMO will work towards a positive change in the supportive cancer care landscape. Paxman is the scalp cooling provider for many leading cancer centres throughout Europe and this update will serve to the continuation of our international mission in eliminating hair loss from chemotherapy and thus change the face of cancer.”
Source: Paxman Ltd.