Long Term Persistent Alopecia and Suboptimal Hair Regrowth after Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Alert for an Emerging Side Effect: ALOPERS Observatory

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 2009-12, Vol.69 (24_Supplement), p.3174-3174
• Main Authors: Bourgeois, H., Denis, F., Kerbrat, P., Combe, M., Lamy, R., Egreteau, J., Delecroix, V., Deguiral, P., Van Hulst, S., Hadjarab, Y., Simon, H., Berton-Rigault, D., Priou, F., Hardy-Bessard, A., Porneuf, M., Raoul, Y., Desclos, H., Abadie-Lacourtoisie, S., El Khouri, C., Metges, J., Riché, C., Grudé, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445
• DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.SABCS-09-3174

Background: Since 2003, through the impetus given by Pr Erick Gamelin and the Regional Health Agency in Western France (Bretagne, Pays de Loire), a network called OMIT (Drugs and Emerging Therapeutics Observatory) has been created, including the Breast Cancer Forum. Anthracyclins and taxanes are the cornerstones of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. In France, since the PACS 01 publication1, FEC 100 followed by docetaxel 100 has been the standard adjuvant chemotherapy regimen in breast cancer. Long term toxicities like persistent alopecia or suboptimal hair regrowth have been observed.Methods: Over the last year, the first cases of persistent alopecia or suboptimal hair regrowth after adjuvant chemotherapy have been reported to the Breast Cancer Forum. Consequently, OMIT quickly drew up a case report form and mailed it to every oncologist in Western France to collect data.Results: From May 2008 to April 2009, 66 cases of persistent alopecia or suboptimal hair regrowth after adjuvant chemotherapy from 15 different institutions were declared to OMIT: median age: 60 years (35-78), hypothyroidia: 11, fine hair before treatment: 2. Alopecia was localized: 13, diffuse: 49, complete: 4. The time lapse between the end of chemotherapy and persisting alopecia has been more than 3 months: 5 patients, more than 6 months: 10, more than 12 months: 22, more than 24 months: 29. The chemotherapy regimens were various: schedule FEC (epirubicin 100 mg/msq), 3 courses followed by docetaxel 100 mg/msq, 3 courses: 54, docetaxel 100 mg/msq: 3, TCH (docetaxel-carboplatin-trastuzumab) or TH: 2, FEC 100: 2, epirubicin 75 mg/msq in association with docetaxel 75 mg/msq: 2. Hormonotherapy: letrozole: 13, anastrozole: 18, exemestane: 3, tamoxifene: 14, LH-RH agonist: 3. No hormonotherapy: 13. In some institutions, according to the ECOG trial2, some oncologists quickly decided to change their standard regimen from FEC 100 - docetaxel 100, to EC 100 4 courses followed by weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks: forthcoming data on persistent alopecia, suboptimal hair regrowth or neuropathy after this ECOG adjuvant chemotherapy regimen will be presented at the symposium.Conclusion: For the first time in France, Western OMIT offers us data about persistent alopecia or suboptimal hair regrowth after adjuvant chemotherapy: it is an important side effect and must be considered by oncologists as optimal information to give to curable patients. The next step is to evaluate the real incidence of th