Hair disorders in cancer survivors

Abstract

With increasing survival rates across all cancers, survivors represent a growing population that is frequently affected by persistent or permanent hair growth disorders as a result of systemic therapies, radiotherapy, surgical procedures, and therapeutic transplants. These hair disorders include persistent chemotherapy-induced alopecia, persistent radiotherapy-induced alopecia, endocrine therapy-induced alopecia and hirsutism, postsurgery alopecia and localized hypertrichosis, and persistent stem cell transplantation and targeted therapy-induced alopecia. The information contained in this continuing medical education series should facilitate a better understanding on hair disorders in cancer survivors so that adequate support and therapies may be provided.

Keywords: alopecia; cancer survivors; cancer therapy; endocrine therapy; hirsutism; hypertrichosis; persistent alopecia; persistent chemotherapy-induced alopecia; persistent radiotherapy-induced alopecia; quality of life; therapeutic transplants.