Coborn Cancer Center helps cancer patients keep their hair during chemotherapy

Men and women receiving chemotherapy treatment for certain cancers at Coborn Cancer Center now can keep control of their hair loss by using a ground-breaking scalp cooling treatment. Coborn Cancer Center nurses are being trained to use the system, which will be offered to patients starting Oct. 15.

Developed by a British family who understand first-hand what it is like to lose hair due to cancer treatment, the Paxman Scalp Cooling System helps reduce hair loss throughout chemotherapy. Paxman Scalp Cooling empowers patients to feel a greater sense of control. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Paxman Scalp Cooling System in early 2017 for breast cancer patients; in 2018 the FDA expanded the clearance for use in all solid tumor cancer patients. Coborn Cancer Center staff are thrilled to be to be able to offer this new service for our patients. For anyone who is new to scalp cooling or has not heard of it before, find out more at www.PaxmanUSA.com.

What is scalp cooling?

Chemotherapy works by targeting all rapidly dividing cells in the body. Hair is the second fastest dividing cell, and this is the reason why many chemotherapy drugs cause alopecia. The hair follicles in the growth phase are attacked, resulting in hair loss approximately two weeks after the commencement of the chemotherapy treatment. The damage chemotherapy causes to the hair follicle can be alleviated by using the scalp cooling treatment. It works by reducing the temperature of the scalp by a few degrees immediately before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy.

Next steps

Patients interested in the scalp cooling system should discuss it with their cancer care provider. Your cancer care team can advise you if scalp cooling is likely to be successful with your chemotherapy treatment. For anyone who wants to go ahead with scalp cooling, www.PaxmanUSA.com features an online resource area designed to make the whole process as easy as possible. The Paxman Hub will guide you through the whole process, covering everything from patient management and billing, reimbursement, nurse and physician support programs and logistics. Patients are provided with a personal contact with whom they can then order and pay for their own scalp cooling cap and treatments. The Paxman Hub will offer full support on patient information, payer coverage, coding and patient assistance programs.

Financial support

If you need help to pay for Paxman Scalp Cooling, don’t worry, as help is at hand. Scholarships for scalp cooling are available from CentraCare Health Foundation. Another option is Hair To Stay, a national non-profit subsidizing scalp cooling patients in the United States. You can apply for a subsidy to help you access Paxman scalp cooling treatment by contacting the Paxman Hub. A case manager will guide you through the eligibility process. Visit www.hairtostay.org.

Learn more about the Coborn Cancer Center