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NCT Number: NCT07422376

Evaluation of Scalp Cooling During Chemotherapy on Quality of Life and the Potential Role of Single Nucleotide Variations on Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia and Hair Regrowth in the Appalachian Highlands Region

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial is proposed to assess the effects of the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System on the quality of life of breast cancer subjects receiving any treatment regimen consisting of a chemotherapy agent known to cause chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). Quality of life will be measured using the Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS) for cancer patients pre-and post-treatment. Simultaneously, the effect of scalp cooling on hair retention and regrowth will be determined by self-reported grading of photographic assessment using the Alopecia (Hair Loss) Pictorial Tool. Results will be correlated with presence of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) rs3820706 in the CACNB4 gene and rs1202179 in the ABCB1 gene. Participants will be blinded to genetic results until the completion of the study to prevent bias, as knowing results could influence the participants' behavior.

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Key information

Conditions

Alopecia Hair Diseases Hypotrichosis Pathological Conditions, Anatomical Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ballad Health Cancer Care

Kingsport, Tennessee, 37660, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Charles E Mays, PhD, CCRP, CCRC

CONTACT

[email protected]

4234315654

About this study

100 subjects, 50 per cohort: 1) Treatment Arm - receiving CIA treatment with the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System and 2) Control Arm - No hair retention treatment.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • All patients with a diagnosis of stage I - III breast cancer, with planned therapy using any anthracycline- or taxane-based regimen.
  • Age ≥18 years
  • A documented informed consent will be obtained prior to inclusion in the study. All discussions with patients will be held in strictest confidence and out of earshot of the general public. Patients will be fully informed that their participation in the study is voluntary. Patients may decline to be part of the study. Their decision to participate in the study will not affect the care they receive.

Exclusion criteria

  • Stage IV disease
  • Patients planning to shave their hair to the skin during chemotherapy treatment. Haircuts or trims will be permitted if they do not inhibit hair density analysis.
  • Intolerance to the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System, including any contraindicated situations (i.e., hematological malignancies, cold urticarial, cold agglutinin disease, scalp metastases, any planned bone marrow ablation chemotherapy, and/or any skull irradiation).
  • Scalp lesions or pain that would be exacerbated by the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling cap.

Treatment and study plan

Paxman Scalp Cooling System

Device

The Paxman Scalp Cooling System is a clinically proven medical device designed to prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia (hair loss). It is FDA-cleared for use in patients with solid tumors, such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

Primary outcomes

  1. Hair Retention and Regrowth

    Time frame: From enrollment to 12 weeks post-treatment with chemotherapy

    To determine whether the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System is effective for improving the quality of life of breast cancer subjects in the Appalachian Highlands region. The Self-Reported Alopecia (Hair Loss) Pictorial Tool will be performed to specifically evaluate hair retention and regrowth (on Day 1 and post-treatment 4 weeks (± 1 week), 8 weeks (± 1 week), and 12 weeks (± 1 week)). Grading will be for 0 to 2, with 0 being No Significant Hair Loss, 1 being Hair Loss up to 50%, and 2 being Hair Loss > 50% as judged by the participant (and referred to as self-reported).

  2. Hair Retention and Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Distress

    Time frame: From enrollment to 12 weeks post-treatment with chemotherapy

    To determine whether the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System is effective for improving the quality of life of breast cancer subjects in the Appalachian Highlands region. The Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS) will be used to evaluate quality of life on Day 1 and post-treatment 12 weeks (± 1 week). The CADS assesses the psychosocial impact of hair loss due to chemotherapy, helping to understand a patient's level of psychological distress. It specifically measures various aspects of a patient's well-being, including physical, emotional, activeness, and relationship distress. The CADS is a 17-item self-report questionnaire that uses a four-point Likert scale (0 = Not at All, 1 = A Little, 2 = Quite a Bit, 3 = Very Much). The total score can range from 0 to 51, with higher scores indicating greater distress. Scores from 0 to 13 indicate low levels of distress, while scores of 14 or above indicate a high level of distress related to chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Role of Single Nucleotide Variations

    Time frame: From enrollment to 12 weeks post-treatment with chemotherapy

    To determine the incidence rate and relevance of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) previously linked to CIA in Japanese and Spanish populations for the Appalachian Highlands region of the southeastern United States by sequencing analysis of rs3820706 in the CACNB4 gene and rs1202179 in the ABCB1 gene prior to chemotherapy treatment for all participants.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Charles E Mays, PhD, CCRP, CCRC

CONTACT

[email protected]

4234315654

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Charles Mays

Other

Collaborators

  • Paxman Scalp Cooling

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Feb 20, 2026
Registry last updated
Feb 20, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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