Rev. of AGA Treat91　Due to Chemotherapy

A Method to Prepare for Hair Loss Due to Chemotherapy May Soon Be Available

Currently, it is said that one in two Japanese people will get cancer at least once in their lifetime. The probability of developing some form of cancer during one's life is 65.5% for men and 51.2% for women (Source: "Cancer Statistics 2021"). For men, this means that two out of three will develop cancer. Cancer has become a common disease, and with advances in medicine and early detection and treatment, most cases are no longer considered incurable. The three main pillars of standard cancer treatment (those that are scientifically recognized for their effectiveness and safety and are currently the best available) are:

Surgery
Radiation Therapy
Chemotherapy

Among these, chemotherapy involves the use of anticancer drugs. One of the side effects of these drugs is hair loss and thinning, medically known as "Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia (CIA)."

Even though cancer is no longer an incurable disease, it remains a life-threatening condition. People are unlikely to avoid using anticancer drugs just because they don't want to lose their hair. However, the fact remains that hair loss and thinning due to chemotherapy cause significant distress and suffering for many cancer patients.

Why do anticancer drugs damage hair, which is not directly related to cancer? This can be explained as follows. The primary characteristic of cancer cells is their rapid growth and high rate of cell division. Anticancer drugs target and attack these properties. Similarly, hair-producing cells (hair matrix cells) also have a high rate of cell division and rapid growth. As a result, these cells can mistakenly be targeted and attacked by anticancer drugs, leading to hair loss and thinning.

Chemotherapy can also cause taste disorders. Taste buds, the cells that detect taste in the tongue, also have a high rate of cell division and fast metabolism, making them susceptible to attack by anticancer drugs, resulting in taste disorders.

The extent of hair loss due to chemotherapy, and the degree to which hair regrows after stopping the medication, varies greatly depending on the type of anticancer drug, its strength, dosage, duration of treatment, individual compatibility, and age.

In many cases, treatments for male pattern baldness can be applied to chemotherapy-induced hair loss. However, it can still be difficult to completely restore hair to its original state. If the stem cells in the bulge area of the hair follicle are completely destroyed by anticancer drugs, it can lead to permanent hair loss with no possibility of regrowth. Currently, there are limited measures available to address such permanent hair loss. However, in the future, "hair regeneration therapy" may be applicable. The details of "hair regeneration therapy" will be explained in the next chapter.

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