Prospective observational study of chemotherapy-induced alopecia after sequential FEC + taxane and the effects of age in breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is a common and quite distressing adverse effects of chemotherapy. There are few detailed observational studies of CIA or of the impact of age on CIA. We performed a prospective observational study to investigate the prevalence and degree of CIA, including CIA of eyebrows, eyelashes, and body, and we examined patient's recovery from CIA, focusing on age-depending effects. METHODS: We analyzed 68 female Japanese patients with breast cancer (median age 53 years, range 29-76 years) who received perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (FEC) and taxane. A questionnaire was administered at the point of chemotherapy completion and 6 and 12 months after chemotherapy completion. RESULTS: CIA occurred in all patients, with severe hair loss irrespective of age. CIA occurred mainly in the scalp but also in the eyebrows, eyelashes, and body for most of the patients. There were significant associations between the patient's age and the onset of hair regrowth in the eyebrows, eyelashes, and body. The onset of eyebrows, eyelash, and body hair growth were significantly shorter in the premenopausal patients. Any hair changes (e.g., thinned diameter, softer texture, curlier structure) were reported by 85.3% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Severe CIA occurred in all 68 patients who received FEC and taxane chemotherapy. The present findings provide the first data demonstrating that age was not associated with the degree or incidence of hair loss, but age affected the recovery from CIA. These results contribute more accurate information provision and insights regarding the proper treatment of CIA.

Keratosis Pilaris and its Subtypes: Associations, New Molecular and Pharmacologic Etiologies, and Therapeutic Options.

Keratosis pilaris is a common skin disorder comprising less common variants and rare subtypes, including keratosis pilaris rubra, erythromelanosis follicularis faciei et colli, and the spectrum of keratosis pilaris atrophicans. Data, and critical analysis of existing data, are lacking, so the etiologies, pathogeneses, disease associations, and treatments of these clinical entities are poorly understood. The present article aims to fill this knowledge gap by reviewing literature in the PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases and providing a comprehensive, analytical summary of the clinical characteristics and pathophysiology of keratosis pilaris and its subtypes through the lens of disease associations, genetics, and pharmacologic etiologies. Histopathologic, genomic, and epidemiologic evidence points to keratosis pilaris as a primary disorder of the pilosebaceous unit as a result of inherited mutations or acquired disruptions in various biomolecular pathways. Recent data highlight aberrant Ras signaling as an important contributor to the pathophysiology of keratosis pilaris and its subtypes. We also evaluate data on treatments for keratosis pilaris and its subtypes, including topical, systemic, and energy-based therapies. The effectiveness of various types of lasers in treating keratosis pilaris and its subtypes deserves wider recognition.

Role of bath psoralen plus ultraviolet A in early-stage mycosis fungoides.

BACKGROUND: Psoralen plus ultraviolet (UV) A (PUVA) radiation is the preferred treatment for folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (MF) and MF refractory to narrowband (NB) UVB radiation. However, systemic PUVA has many unfavorable side effects and contraindications. Bath PUVA has been found to be a suitable alternative in patients with psoriasis, but data on MF are sparse. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bath PUVA in the treatment of folliculotropic MF and NB-UVB-refractory early-stage MF. METHODS: The study group included 26 patients of average age 44 years attending a tertiary medical center in 2004 through 2012, 14 with folliculotropic type and 12 with NB-UVB-refractory early-stage MF who were not amenable for oral PUVA. Treatment consisted of 0.2 mg/L 8-methoxypsoralen bath 3 times weekly followed by UVA irradiation at 0.3 J/cm(2) with fixed increments every second session. RESULTS: A complete clinical response was achieved in 62% of patients after an average of 33 weeks and a cumulative radiation dose of 158 J/cm(2). LIMITATIONS: This was a relatively small series. CONCLUSION: Bath PUVA is a good treatment option for superficial folliculotropic MF and NB-UVB-refractory early-stage MF.

Photopneumatic therapy for the treatment of keratosis pilaris.

BACKGROUND: Current treatment options for keratosis pilaris (KP) are limited and are often found to be unsatisfactory to patients. OBJECTIVE: Pilot study to determine if photopneumatic therapy (PPx) can improve the erythema and skin texture in KP. METHODS: Ten patients with KP were treated with one session of PPx on the upper arm and then evaluated one month later for treatment efficacy. RESULTS: Average investigator-assessed improvement was 27% in erythema and 56% in skin texture roughness. Average patient self-reported improvement was 52% in erythema and 53% in skin texture. The mean satisfaction score was 6.3 on a scale of 1 to 10 (median 7.5) and 8 out of 10 participants reported they would choose to receive PPx for their KP again in the future. LIMITATIONS: Small number of patients, short follow-up period, and lack of blinding of the examiner and the patients making recall bias possible. CONCLUSIONS: One treatment of PPx improved both the erythema and redness associated with KP over at least a one month period.

Bone mineral density in patients with alopecia areata treated with long-term intralesional corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND: Intralesional corticosteroid injections are a common treatment for patchy alopecia areata, the most prevalent subtype of this autoimmune hair disorder. To date, no studies have examined the potential adverse effects of this therapy on bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional case series, 18 patients with patchy alopecia areata treated at 4- to 8-week intervals with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide for at least 20 months were evaluated for BMD using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Follow-up DXA measurements were obtained in those with abnormal findings. RESULTS: Nine out of 18 patients (50%) had abnormal DXA results. Patients with the following risk factors were more likely to have abnormal BMD: age older than 50 years, body mass index less than 18.5 kg/m2, lack of weight-bearing exercise, smoking history, postmenopausal status, past stress fracture, family history of osteopenia or osteoporosis, and a cumulative intralesional triamcinolone acetonide dose of greater than 500 mg. CONCLUSION: Patients with patchy alopecia areata who receive chronic intralesional triamcinolone acetonide therapy should be counseled on preventive measures for osteoporosis and monitored for effects on BMD.