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William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
Posted: Monday, March 24, 2025
The use of low-dose oral minoxidil to promote hair growth in patients with breast cancer who have alopecia may be an efficacious and safe therapeutic option, according to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Additional studies focused on determining the efficacy of this antihypertensive vasodilating agent in other types of cancer and chemotherapy regimens are warranted, according to Kristen I. Lo Sicco, MD, of New York University Grossman School of Medicine, and colleagues. Michelle Sikora, BS, also of Grossman School of Medicine, was the corresponding author of the study.
“The effectiveness of minoxidil may therefore help patients restore their sense of self and some control in a situation where it has been visibly taken away,” commented Dr. Lo Sicco in an NYU Langone Health press release.
From 2012 to 2023, a total of 51 female patients with breast cancer were recruited for the study. All patients were previously treated with low-dose oral minoxidil for at least 1 month. Patients were stratified on whether they were treated with chemotherapy plus surgery and/or radiation (n = 25) or surgery and/or radiation alone (n = 26). Clinical outcomes were assessed by patient self-evaluation or physical exam by physician evaluations.
The study authors observed no significant differences in adverse events between treatment groups. However, patients who received chemotherapy were more likely to experience treatment-related adverse events earlier than patients who did not receive chemotherapy. The most common adverse event reported was hypertrichosis (61.4%). In addition, within 3 to 6 months of treatment with low-dose oral minoxidil, all patients demonstrated stability or improvement in their alopecia.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit jaad.org.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
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