Anti-hair loss machines for Leeds cancer patients

Thursday July 23rd, 2009

Cancer patients treated at St James's Institute of Oncology, Leeds, UK, are likely to benefit from the installation of machines to help reduce hair loss.

Scalp cooling machines are a method of preventing hair loss during chemotherapy by reducing blood supply to the follicles. Less of the chemotherapy reaches the follicles, so hair is less likely to fall out.

Studies have shown that scalp cooling can be effective for patients on a wide range of chemotherapy drugs, including Epirubicin, Doxorubicin, Taxol and Taxotere. The method can make patients feel cold while they are using it, but there are no other known side-effects.

Twenty-one of the machines are to be installed at Leeds, thanks to a 250,000 UK pounds grant from breast cancer charity Walk the Walk. They are made by Huddersfield based manufacturer Paxman Coolers.

Glenn Paxman of Paxman Coolers said: "It's fantastic for our scalp coolers to be available to patients here at St James's Institute of Oncology, one of the largest specialist cancer treatment centres in the UK.

"We would like to thank Walk the Walk for their generosity in supplying this grant and enabling us to help improve patient's lives during this difficult time."

Staff say that the scalp coolers caused quite a stir when they were put on display in Bexley Wing's glass atrium.

This is the biggest ever grant for scalp coolers from Walk the Walk - part of the charity's commitment to donating 5m UK pounds for scalp cooling machines in NHS hospitals around the UK.

Tags: Cancer | Dermatology | UK News

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