It might probably save hair throughout chemo, however many sufferers do not know it exists

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Six years in the past, Ottawa’s Diane Hogan underwent chemotherapy after being recognized with ovarian most cancers. After two rounds of the remedy, her thick hair was gone.

She wore a wig when she was in public to cowl her bald head, nevertheless it was “the very first thing I took off once I walked within the door”. It was itchy and sizzling, and made her really feel much less like herself throughout what was already a tough interval in her life.

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Earlier this yr, Hogan needed to start one other spherical of chemotherapy after her most cancers returned. She nervous that if she misplaced her hair once more, it could be everlasting. However this time she knew there was an choice that may assist her cut back hair loss throughout chemo. She jumped on the probability.

Hogan is one in all a small variety of most cancers sufferers in Ottawa who’ve used scalp cooling expertise designed to assist shield hair follicles from the consequences of chemotherapy by chilling the scalp. It doesn’t fully forestall hair loss, however can cut back it and promote faster regrowth.

Scalp cooling includes carrying a cap that cools the scalp earlier than, throughout and after chemotherapy. The temperature narrows the blood vessels within the scalp and reduces blood circulation, which suggests much less of the chemotherapy drug reaches the hair follicles and they’re much less more likely to be broken.

There are two kinds of scalp cooling techniques. One makes use of a number of chilly caps which can be saved frozen in a transportable freezer or cooler with dry ice, in line with the Canadian Most cancers Society. About each 20 minutes, the cap should be changed.

The newer system, which Paxman Scalp Cooling Techniques makes use of, has only one cap into which chilly fluid is repeatedly circulated. The cap lowers the temperature of the scalp to about 3 levels C. It’s accredited by Well being Canada as a medical machine.

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The non-public remedy, which has lengthy been used at most cancers centres in Toronto and world wide, is just not cheap. It prices upwards of $400 per session (the worth goes down after six remedies). Nonetheless, some sufferers from Ottawa have opted to bear chemotherapy in Toronto with a purpose to use the gear, in line with Paxman representatives.

The machines that ship the expertise have been accessible at The Ottawa Hospital since this spring. However the firm that owns and operates them says the way forward for the expertise in Ottawa is precarious.

Paxman says it might need to tug the machines out as a result of they aren’t getting sufficient use. A key drawback is that many sufferers don’t know something about it till it’s too late to save lots of their hair.

It’s a difficult state of affairs, admits one most cancers affected person who used the scalp cooling remedy earlier this yr. The affected person, who can also be a medical skilled, requested to stay nameless to guard her identification. She stated most cancers docs are extraordinarily busy and centered on saving lives. They may even be uncomfortable selling a person non-public enterprise.

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“I believe there’s a reluctance to speak about issues that aren’t (publicly) funded,” she stated.

Nonetheless, she stated the remedy made an enormous distinction in how she felt throughout most cancers remedy.

“Since you don’t have a number of management over so many issues, it’s one thing you’ll be able to have some management over.”

It additionally provides sufferers some sense of privateness about their prognosis, sufferers say.

“It’s good to know once I go someplace I’m not screaming ‘Most cancers affected person, most cancers affected person!’ ” stated Hogan.

Rebecca Abelson, a spokesperson for The Ottawa Hospital, confirmed that Paxman scalp cooling techniques can be found on the hospital’s most cancers centres on the Normal campus and Irving Greenberg Household Most cancers Centre, situated at Queensway Carleton Hospital.

“Physicians are conscious of this service and care groups are working to make sure sufferers have all the data they want,” she stated.

Sufferers have to attach with the corporate on to entry the service. Scalp cooling remedies are usually not coated by OHIP however could also be coated by non-public insurance coverage. The hospital is “exploring methods to make these remedies extra accessible,” stated Abelson.

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Harry Goodman, the overall supervisor in Canada of the U.Ok.-based firm, stated he got here out of retirement to convey the expertise to Canada after seeing how hair loss affected his spouse whereas she was being handled for most cancers.

“She misplaced her hair and it didn’t develop again. I noticed what it did to her. The worst half was my grandchildren didn’t acknowledge her and had been afraid to go to her.”

Deborah Penuik, Paxman’s enterprise growth supervisor, additionally misplaced her hair throughout chemotherapy.

“I didn’t have this chance once I was going by way of chemo 10 years in the past,” she stated. “I made peace with shedding my hair, however not everyone can try this. They need to be allowed to have the selection.”

Some funding is accessible in Ottawa to assist extra folks use the service, stated Peniuk. In Windsor, the most cancers centre basis supplies funding for the service for sufferers with monetary wants. The corporate has heard from sufferers saying they need that they had recognized it was accessible earlier than their first chemo remedy, she stated.

Ottawa’s Diane Hogan stated she is hoping to dwell a protracted life after chemotherapy and sees the chilly cap remedy as a “reassurance” for the longer term.

“If I dwell to be 100, I don’t need to undergo the subsequent 30 years with no hair.”

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