Latest news with #scalpcooling
Sky News
10-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News
'Milestone' technique could help cancer patients keep hair during chemotherapy
Researchers say they have found a "powerful double weapon" that could help cancer patients keep their hair during chemotherapy. The new method combines scalp cooling - where patients use cold caps to reduce hair loss from cancer drugs - with a lotion, comprised of antioxidants - some of which are found in red grapes. Hailed as a "milestone," researchers at Sheffield Hallam University also pinpointed the optimal temperature for scalp cooling to be most effective for keeping hair. Cold caps are already used by some cancer patients during chemotherapy to help minimise the amount of hair they lose. They work by restricting blood flow to the scalp, which reduces the amount of medication reaching the hair follicles. But the team at Sheffield Hallam University found that cooling the scalp to 18C (64.4F) can prevent hair follicle damage, while 26C may not be enough, and that topical antioxidants could "transform the ability of cooling to protect" against hair loss. Dr Nik Georgopoulos, an associate professor of cell biology and Transforming Lives fellow at Sheffield Hallam, told PA: "Chemotherapy drugs are drugs that kill rapidly dividing cancer cells, but they cannot discriminate between cancer cells and rapidly dividing normal cells in the body. "At the base of our hair follicles are these rapidly dividing cells, or keratinocytes, that constantly grow and they end up forming the actual hair." For the study, published in Frontiers of Pharmacology, hair follicles were isolated from the scalp and grown in the lab before being treated with chemotherapy to study the impact. "We show that they die," Dr Georgopoulos said. "The cells that are rapidly dividing and grow the hair, they will die because of the toxicity of chemotherapy. "But if you cool them, they are protected, and I don't mean just protected - prevented from dying. So if cooling is used while the hair follicles are grown in the lab, it can completely prevent the toxicity." The associate professor noted, however, that "there is a catch - you have to use the right temperature," but added that "our research has shown that cooling can slow down the cells, stops them from dividing - protection". He said that any issues with temperature could also be compensated with a topical location containing antioxidants like resveratrol, found in the likes of red grapes and peanuts, and dietary supplement N-Acetylcysteine. Dr Georgopoulos described the combination as a "powerful double weapon". Dr Georgopoulos has also been working with Huddersfield-based business Paxman Scalp Cooling, which created a device that circulates coolant through a specially designed cooling cap. The cooling cap is worn for half an hour before chemotherapy treatment commences, during treatment, and for up to 90 minutes after all the drugs have been given.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The ‘milestone' treatment that can prevent chemotherapy patients from losing their hair
Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking new approach described as a "powerful double weapon" to combat hair loss in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. This innovative method combines the established practice of scalp cooling, where patients wear a cold cap to minimise drug damage to hair follicles, with a novel lotion rich in antioxidants, similar to those found in red grapes. The research, hailed as a "milestone", has not only pinpointed the optimal temperature for scalp cooling but also demonstrated the enhanced protective effect when combined with the antioxidant treatment. Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University discovered that cooling the scalp to 18C effectively prevents hair follicle damage, whereas 26C offers insufficient protection. Scalp cooling works by restricting blood flow to the scalp, thereby reducing the amount of chemotherapy medication reaching the hair follicles. The team has further shown how integrating topical antioxidants with cooling could "transform the ability of cooling to protect" against hair loss. Dr Nik Georgopoulos, an associate professor of cell biology and Transforming Lives fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, said that he views hair loss as the 'face of cancer'. 'The reason why people get hair loss is because, at the base of the hair follicles, there are these rapidly dividing cells that are actually feeling the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs,' he said. 'Chemotherapy drugs are drugs that kill rapidly dividing cancer cells, but they cannot discriminate between cancer cells and rapidly dividing normal cells in the body. 'At the base of our hair follicles are these rapidly dividing cells, or keratinocytes, that constantly grow and they end up forming the actual hair.' For the study, published in Frontiers of Pharmacology, hair follicles were isolated from the scalp and grown in the lab before being treated with chemotherapy to study the impact. 'We show that they die,' Dr Georgopoulos said. 'The cells that are rapidly dividing and grow the hair, they will die because of the toxicity of chemotherapy. 'But if you cool them, they are protected, and I don't mean just protected – prevented from dying. 'So if cooling is used while the hair follicles are grown in the lab, it can completely prevent the toxicity. But there is a catch – you have to use the right temperature.' While an optimal temperature was highlighted in the study, researchers also combined cooling with the lotion as a potential target for patients who may not respond to the cold cap technique. It contained antioxidants like resveratrol, which is found in the likes of red grapes and peanuts, and N-Acetylcysteine, a dietary supplement. Dr Georgopoulos said: 'For some patients, cooling works, and for others it doesn't. Because some heads – I call them stubborn – they don't cool enough. 'By adding this topical product that delivers this antioxidant, we form a powerful double weapon that, based on our results in the lab, showed us it can transform the ability of cooling to protect.' Dr Georgopoulos added that the antioxidant lotion is not 'powerful enough' when used alone. 'The reason for that is cooling does multiple amazing things at the same time,' he said. 'What happens in the body when things go cold? You get the constriction of your blood vessels, they're narrowing down, less blood goes to the scalp, less drug. It isn't as simple as that. 'Our research has shown that cooling can slow down the cells, stops them from dividing – protection. 'It stops the chemotherapy drug going in – protection. It does multiple things at the same time as long as the cooling is optimal. 'If it isn't optimal, our approach is now allowing us to actually say 'it's OK, it's not an ideal scenario, but we compensate for it with our topical product'.' Dr Georgopoulos has been working with Paxman Scalp Cooling for more than a decade. The Huddersfield-based business has created a device that circulates coolant through a specially designed cooling cap, worn by the patient. The cooling cap is worn for half an hour before chemotherapy treatment commences, during treatment, and for up to 90 minutes after all the drugs have been given. It is now hoped the new technique, combining scalp cooling with the antioxidants, can be trialled with cancer patients using the Paxman device, with researchers currently finalising the antioxidants that will be used in the topical product. Dr Georgopoulos said: 'Our ongoing work will ensure that efficacy is as high as possible with the belief that a topical agent will not only dramatically enhance the efficacy of scalp cooling in protecting from hair loss, but also significantly accelerates hair recovery post chemotherapy treatment.'
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
'Not Just Hair': New CPT Codes And What's Next For Scalp Cooling
When she was just 34 years old, Sue Paxman was diagnosed with breast cancer. As she started treatment, she experienced a side effect that 65% of chemotherapy patients face: chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) or hair loss. One of the most widely-known symptoms of cancer is chemotherapy-induced alopecia - but that hair ... More loss can be devastating for the patient. 'The most common theme we hear from people…is that it is 'not just hair'. It goes so much deeper than that, and it is not vanity!' said Richard Paxman, CEO of Paxman Scalp Cooling. 'Hair loss is a visible side effect that constantly reminds the patient about the disease and the treatment, causing a significant psychological burden.' In fact, up to 14% of female cancer patients choose not to pursue chemotherapy because of their fear of hair loss. The majority of patients who have received chemotherapy have cited hair loss as the most troubling adverse event and the biggest source of sadness: even more traumatic than losing a breast. And one study found that breast cancer patients who experienced alopecia were more distressed, had a poorer body image, reported lower emotional and social functioning, and had higher rates of depression than those who didn't lose their hair. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers for women, second only to skin cancer. In the United ... More States specifically, it accounts for about 30% of all new cancer cases in women. Chemotherapy, after all, targets rapidly dividing cells, which can include not just cancer cells but also hair cells, which are the second fastest-dividing cells in the body (behind only bone marrow and stem cells). But a treatment called scalp cooling can help mitigate that hair loss. By reducing the temperature of the scalp by a few degrees before, during, and after the chemotherapy treatment, scalp cooling causes vasoconstriction; blood vessels narrow to preserve heat, blood flow is reduced to as little as 40%, and fewer chemotherapy drugs than before will reach - and affect - the hair follicles. In addition, scalp cooling causes hair cells to become dormant: that is, to stop dividing so that the chemotherapy treatment, which targets rapidly-dividing cells, will bypass them. Scalp cooling in some form has been around since the 1970s; patients then would hold ice packs or even bags of frozen vegetables to their scalps. In the 1990s, however, at the time of her own diagnosis and treatment, Sue Paxman had only limited resources with limited effectiveness at her disposal. 'She tried scalp cooling at her local hospital in Huddersfield, but it wasn't effective,' Mr. Paxman explained. 'She was devastated.' Sue Paxman's husband Glenn, an engineer, aimed to understand why scalp cooling hadn't worked. From this desire to help others with cancer from facing this same devastation, he founded Paxman: a company focused on scalp cooling. Paxman launched its first Scalp Cooling System in 1997 and is now a pioneer of scalp cooling ... More technology. Paxman launched its first Scalp Cooling System, co-built by Glenn Paxman and his brother Neil, in 1997. The system is composed of a compact refrigeration unit, which circulates liquid coolant at low pressure through a special cooling cap that the patient wears. It extracts heat from the patient's scalp and reduces the scalp temperature. Since that original launch over 25 years ago, Paxman scalp cooling devices are now available in over 40 U.S states and in over 60 countries, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has recommended scalp cooling in its breast and ovarian cancer guidelines since 2019, and a thirteen-year, real-world multicenter study concluded, '[scalp cooling] is effective for the majority of patients, and it offers patients the opportunity for privacy, identity, and control in their cancer treatment journey. However, Mr. Paxman noted that there is still a 'general lack of awareness' of and communication around this treatment option. For example, Aetna, the health insurance company, found that, out of its 155 healthcare provider respondents, 62% were in favor of scalp cooling always or most of the time - but only 26% reported initiating discussions regarding scalp cooling always or most of the time. To Mr. Paxman, this knowledge transfer gap is 'the missing link'. He added, 'For those that are recently diagnosed with cancer, with no existing awareness of the treatment…it is crucially important that the option is introduced to them at this stage by their healthcare team. If [the team doesn't] offer scalp cooling as an option, the patient may miss out on this important choice in their treatment plan.' In other words, healthcare providers play 'a crucial role' in ensuring the patient understands scalp cooling holistically, including its procedure, limitations, and benefits. Although, out of 155 healthcare provider respondents, 62% were in favor of scalp cooling always or ... More most of the time - only 26% reported initiating discussions regarding scalp cooling always or most of the time. He does believe, though, that providers 'are often reticent to have the conversation with their patients based on [the financial cost].' Aetna's research supports this same conclusion: financial concerns was the most common reason given by healthcare providers for not initiating discussions in the first place. 'Equitable patient access to scalp cooling is currently limited in the United States,' Mr. Paxman explained. 'Too often, patients who wish to scalp cool are faced with a difficult decision that shouldn't need to be made: retaining their identity and privacy or face inevitable hair loss. Out of context, this would seem like an easy decision, but each choice bears a heavy cost.' Put another way, a patient who is already facing a cancer diagnosis may have to weigh the additional 'emotional and psychological stress' of losing her hair against the 'financial hardship' of a treatment option that could help her retain her hair. A closer look at Paxman's Scalp Cooling System To improve access to scalp cooling, Paxman has been transferring its facility partners to its Insurance-Based Billing Model (IBBM) so that healthcare practitioners can bill the patient's insurer directly. Paxman also has what Mr. Paxman calls a 'best-in-class' Patient Assistance Program (PAP) to support patients who are uninsured or under-insured and can't afford to scalp cool. Those who qualify will receive scalp cooling free of charge. Starting next year, new legislation at the state and federal level can alleviate some of this financial burden too. On a state level, New York became the first U.S state to pass legislation requiring private insurers to cover scalp cooling. Its law was passed in December 2024 and will take effect on January 1, 2026. Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and West Virginia all have bills in progress as well. On a national level, scalp cooling treatment will move from investigational, temporary Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) III codes to permanent CPT® I codes starting in 2026. The American Medical Association assigns these CPT® codes to different healthcare services or procedure to describe them and to assign them a relative value unit (RVU) for reimbursement: a key component in deciding the final reimbursement amount. CPT® III codes are for emerging technologies, services, and procedures while CPT® I codes are for well-established ones. For scalp cooling, the assignment of CPT® I codes is '[a] significant upcoming development that could improve equitable patient access' and 'a key milestone that paves the way for broader insurance reimbursement,' in Mr. Paxman's words. He continued, 'The AMA's rigorous process [in assigning CPT® I codes] strengthens scalp cooling's position as a key treatment and medical necessity which in turn, supports greater coverage'. Starting in 2026, scalp cooling treatment will move from investigational, temporary CPT® III codes ... More to permanent CPT® I codes. Ms. Daniel believes that this shift could lead to increased coverage of the treatment. Going forward, Paxman is developing solutions to help relieve other adverse side effects of chemotherapy, including peripheral neuropathy: a side effect of taxane-based chemotherapy specifically. The peripheral nerves connect the brain and the spinal cord to the rest of the body; when they are damaged, Mr. Paxman described, they can have 'a debilitating outcome for patients,': tingling sensations, numbness, weakness, and even excruciating pain in the patient's hands and feet. Trial data has already shown the potential of cryotherapy and compression as an effective peripheral neuropathy treatment; the Paxman device aims to deliver that cooling and compression in a consistent and measurable manner. The device is still in clinical trials – the goal is to have 800 total patients in its next phase, which currently remains open for enrollment – but the promising preliminary results demonstrate what Mr. Paxman calls 'an exciting step for providing patients around the world access to these life changing technologies in side-effect management'. Paxman is also doubling down on treatments for CIA specifically. The company has found that a topical formulation could suppress or prevent damage to hair follicles when cooling may not adequately protect them. Paxman is, accordingly, pursuing a topical agent that can be applied to the scalp before a drug infusion to act as an antioxidant against chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Already, the company has in vitro data that both proves its agent's ability to protect hair follicles when used with cooling and supports its ability to enhance the efficacy of scalp cooling and accelerate hair recovery post-chemotherapy. Lastly, just this month, Paxman announced that it was merging with Dignitana, which developed the DigniCap Scalp Cooling System: the first scalp cooling system cleared by the FDA. (Two years later, in 2017, the FDA cleared the second scalp cooling system, which was Paxman's.) 'Over the past few years, Paxman and Dignitana have developed a strong relationship, with a common vision,' Mr. Paxman explained. '…We are well positioned to accelerate that shared vision' by 'combining our strengths' – including agility, innovation, and pursuit of new opportunities – especially as scalp cooling enters 'a period of exciting change in the reimbursement landscape within the United States'. Going forward, Paxman is continuing to pursue treatments for chemotherapy-induced alopecia - as well ... More as solutions for adverse side effects of chemotherapy, such as peripheral neuropathy And that period of 'exciting change' can bring more accessibility and awareness to scalp cooling than ever before. As Richard Paxman concluded, 'Patient motivations and reasons for choosing to scalp cool can be complicated and diverse, but the majority fall into the following categories: to protect family – children, parents and wider social networks, to maintain normalcy and privacy, to retain identity and sense of self, and to maintain a degree of control at a time when many things are taken out of your own control.' Through the Paxman Scalp Cooling System, merger with Dignitana, and ongoing innovations to mitigate chemotherapy-induced side effects, Paxman aims to meet those goals – while always continuing to honor its inspiration and its namesake: Sue Paxman.
