A cancer survivor tries on a wig donated by the Kenya Cancer
Association: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in
Kenya. FILE PHOTO | EMMA NZIOKA
Summary
- Early this year, results of a study showed that the cooling technology prevents absorption of chemicals used in chemotherapy that lead to hair loss.
- The technology got approval from the US Food and Drug administration (FDA) to market the product this month.
- Paxman Company says it has identified a South African partner to help make it available to patients in Kenya.
A device that can prevent hair loss in
breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment could soon be
available in Kenya.
This is according to Richard
Paxman, the chief executive officer of Paxman Company - a firm which
developed the device that uses scalp cooling technology.
Mr Paxman told the Business Daily
that the company had identified a South African partner who would help
make the technology available to patients in the country and Africa.
Early
this year, research published in the JAMA journal showed that the
cooling technology, which reduces blood flow to hair follicles during
the treatment process, prevents the absorption of chemicals used in
chemotherapy that lead to hair loss.
During treatment, a
cap with the cooling device is placed on the patient’s head prior to
chemotherapy and does not have to be changed or removed until the
treatment is completed.
It was previously only used in a controlled research setting for purposes of testing its efficacy.
However,
the firm is now keen on rolling it out in different countries after it
got approval from the US Food and Drug administration (FDA) to market
the product this month.
Mr
Paxman says the device is not complex and can easily be used by nurses
and healthcare assistants to manage the side-effects of cancer
treatment.
Chemotherapy often results in hair loss, which women rate as one of the most distressing effects of the procedure.
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