Charles Institute Seminar Series 2023-24: Pathogenesis & Treatment of Chemotherapy-induced Alopecia with Guest Speaker Professor Ohsang Kwon
Date of Talk: Wednesday 03 July 2024 @ 12pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Talk Title: Pathogenesis & Treatment of Chemotherapy-induced Alopecia
Speaker Details: Professor Ohsang Kwon
Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Short Biography:
Ohsang Kwon, MD, PhD. is currently Professor & Chairman at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital. He clinically specializes in male and female alopecia, scalp diseases, and hair restoration surgery. His research interests are
mechanism of alopecia and hair follicle regeneration.
Dr Kwon received his medical degree from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1994 and PhD. degree from Graduate School, Seoul National University in 2005. He received Dermatology residency and fellowship training at the Seoul National University Hospital and worked as a visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania.
Abstract for talk:
Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is a common and distressing side effect of diverse anti-cancer agents, affecting the quality of life and self-esteem of patients. CIA results from the damage of rapidly proliferating hair follicle cells by cytotoxic drugs, leading to hair cycle arrest.
The pathogenesis of CIA involves multiple molecular pathways, such as apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal changes. The most common drugs that cause CIA are those that belong to the class of antineoplastic agents. On the other hand, endocrine therapy-induced alopecia (EIA) is a type of hair loss that can occur in patients with breast cancer or female hormone- dependent malignancies in who are receiving endocrine therapies, such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, or ovarian suppression. The prevention and treatment of CIA or EIA are challenging, as there is no universally-effective modality available. The most widely used method is scalp cooling and more research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of CIA and to develop novel and effective interventions.
