No hair loss during chemotherapy

Scientists from the University of Manchester have found a method such as hair follicles in chemotherapy can be protected. This hair loss could be due to a cancer treatment &ndash prevent; a side effect that affects many patients, the mentally strong.

Taxanes have been used for decades as a cancer medication. You could lead to permanent hair loss. Nevertheless, it has been found only now a path, such as damage to the hair follicle by this medication can be prevented. The scientists used a second, more recent anti-cancer drug that blocks follicles, the cell division without the toxic side-effects in the hair. As they report in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, were hair follicles of the human scalp, after they were bathed in the laboratory, in the Mediterranean, is much less prone to the harmful effects of the taxanes.

Dr. Talveen Purba explained: "We have found that the stem cells from which the specialised division of stem cells at the base of the hair follicle, are the most sensitive to taxanes. Therefore, we need to &ndash these cells against the adverse chemotherapeutic effects protect; without the cancer benefit." The Team hopes that their work supports the development of externally applicable medicines. This could follicle cell division in the hair of patients undergoing chemotherapy, to slow down or temporarily suspend and so the hair damage can be mitigated.

Taxanes are anticancer drugs, which are used for example for the treatment of lung or breast cancer. Especially breast cancer patients, the fear is very stressful and sometimes long-lasting hair loss ends. Purba said: "Despite the fact that it has long been known that taxanes cause hair loss, scratching, we are only now on the surface the question of how they damage the human hair follicle."

ZOU