AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Hair loss can be extremely devastating to the patient. When some anti-cancer drugs kill cancer cells, they also kill fast-growing normal cells such as those in hair follicles, causing alopecia (hair loss). As with other cancer therapies, changes in mood and emotions occur to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Detailed explanation-2: -Why does it occur? Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in your body-including those in your hair roots. Chemotherapy may cause hair loss all over your body-not just on your scalp.

Detailed explanation-3: -Most people think that chemotherapy drugs always cause hair loss. But some don’t cause any hair loss at all or only slight thinning. Other types of chemotherapy may cause complete hair loss. It might include your eyelashes, eyebrows, underarm, leg and sometimes pubic hair.

Detailed explanation-4: -Chemotherapy-induced alopecia occurs because the drugs used during treatment target rapidly dividing cancer cells but cannot differentiate between rapidly dividing healthy cells like hair follicles. This results in hair thinning and loss.

Detailed explanation-5: -Chemotherapy is most effective at killing cells that are rapidly dividing. Unfortunately, chemotherapy does not know the difference between cancer cells and the normal cells. The “normal” cells will grow back and be healthy but in the meantime, side effects occur.