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A Japanese medical research team has found that a form of antibiotic could prevent cancer patients from losing hair during chemotherapy treatment, a doctor involved in the research study said this week.

Professor Sakai said his team had found that the drug “alopestatin” reduced hair loss by 70 percent when used on rats also given etoposide anti-cancer drugs.

Etoposide is widely used in the treatment of lung and other cancers but can cause hair loss.

Professor Sakai, at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, said his team was hoping to to put the agent to practical use in the near future.

“I want people to know that few studies have been made on reducing side-effects of anti-cancer drugs,” he said.

“This field is lagging behind (the development of cancer drugs) but is still important for patients’ quality of life.”

The study, which was outlined at an academic meeting in Japan last week, is still ongoing, and the chances are “low at the moment” that alopestatin will be commercialised soon, he said.

No clinical tests have been carried out or are yet in sight, but one possible use for humans would be to apply it to the head in the period when hair loss is most likely to occur during chemotherapy, he added.

For further information and updates on this exciting new breakthrough feel free to speak to one of our trichologists on our Hair Loss Advisory Helpline on 0207 976 6868.

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