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Hair loss while on chemotherapy is a distressful side effect that cancer patients have to undergo. I must mention here that It is no less than those critical ones that patients encounter while on Chemotherapy.

Hair loss brings about social and emotional distress beyond the physical ones to patients, predominantly affecting females than males. It creates a barrier, internal to cancer patients, spoiling their social character. Over the years, we have evolved with the progressing science to offer various medications to patients, namely, targeted therapies and immunotherapies of the world, those targeting cancer cells specifically unlike chemotherapy so that the chances of hair loss are limited or discounted. However, the very character of chemotherapy never followed 'the law of diminishing utility' as it remains a backbone of cancer treatment even in the present time.

Cancer is a disease that can be cured if detected very early, otherwise progressive if presented in advanced stage despite treatments with only time as a variant, differing from patient to patient. The aforementioned targeted therapies have been observed to synergize with chemotherapy to achieve improved cancer kill or control over cancer, than when given alone. Contrasting the fact that despite targeted therapy, cancer progresses at some point in time therefore, Chemotherapy if not used in the first place will have to be used subsequently as cancer progresses. There exists a myth that Chemotherapy is typically offered in incurable cancers. It rather forms the backbone of cancer treatment, intended to cure cancer. I must, therefore, emphasize the fact that Chemotherapy can not be avoided completely during the lifetime of a cancer patient. Not to forget that with Chemotherapy, we have been able to offer a quality of life and pocket-friendly long lives to patients. In our experience, unfortunately, we find that many patients, especially women do not receive this all-important treatment; rather refrain from seeking the opinion of cancer specialists due to fear of hair loss which is completely reversible.

Overall these years, we have learned and mastered ways and means of managing short-lived side effects of Chemotherapy but as far as hair loss on chemotherapy is concerned, we were made to look mere spectators and helpless counselors till recently.

At Mumbai Oncocare Centre, we precisely intend to take cognizance of this fact and offer help to these patients by introducing the magic machine, "The Paxman Scalp Cooling Machine". MOC is the pioneering chain of cancer daycare centers and hospitals that brought and installed the first 'Paxman' at MOC Ghatkopar. It has a promise of potentially preventing hair loss on most of the chemotherapy regimens in 70-80% of cases, with few exceptions. We received overwhelming responses and subscribers to it over the last 8 months. Therefore, we are progressively motivated and happy to announce the arrival of the 2nd "Paxman Scalp Cooling Machine" at MOC Borivali in December 2019 so that patients can defeat cancer without compromising their social life!

Dr. Ashish Joshi

Director and Consultant Medical & Hemato-Oncologist

Mumbai Oncocare Centre