Permanent alopecia following chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation

• Published in: Australasian journal of dermatology Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 106 - 108
• Main Authors: Tran, D, Sinclair, Rd, Schwarer, Ap, Chow, Cw
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Science Pty 01.05.2000; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Alopecia - chemically induced; Alopecia - drug therapy; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Marrow Purging - adverse effects; Bone Marrow Transplantation - adverse effects; Busulfan - adverse effects; busulphan; cicatricial; cyclophosphamide; Cyclophosphamide - adverse effects; Female; Hair Follicle - drug effects; hair loss; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - drug therapy; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - therapy; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Medical sciences; Minoxidil - therapeutic use; scarring; telogen and anagen effluvium; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Hair; Skin disease; Homograft; Malignant hemopathy; Bone marrow aplasia; Case study; Myeloproliferative syndrome; Chronic; Alopecia; Chronic myelocytic leukemia; Bone marrow
• ISSN: 0004-8380; 1440-0960
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-0960.2000.00405.x

SUMMARY Alopecia can be a psychologically daunting prospect for people requiring cancer chemotherapy. Fortunately, most patients experience only temporary hair loss. We report the case of a 23‐year‐old woman with chronic myeloid leukaemia who developed permanent, near‐total alopecia of her scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, axillary and pubic hair following busulphan and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy which was used as conditioning prior to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. The histology from a scalp biopsy revealed hair follicle destruction. Topical minoxidil failed to induce significant re‐growth.