Loss of Hair in Experimental Animals induced by Cyclophosphamide

Abstract

ADMINISTRATION of antitumour agents to patients is frequently followed by loss of hair. This loss is usually reversible in the sense that new hair replaces that lost, often during continued therapy. These changes have been noted following the administration of a variety of anti-tumour agents including Cyclophosphamide, colcemid, methotrexate, hydroxyurea, vinblastine and vincristine, which have in common the following attributes: (1) they are effective in the therapy of neoplastic disease in humans and experimental animals; (2) they frequently cause alopecia in humans; and (3) they do not cause similar alopecia in conventional laboratory animals. Cyclophosphamide was used in the work described here because of the relative prominence of its alopecic property.