The Oncology Clinic at Stradins Hospital has launched a scalp cooling system that helps reduce hair loss during chemotherapy. For many patients, this is one of the most emotionally challenging side effects of treatment.
A new technology to support cancer patients during treatment has become available at the Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital. The Oncology Clinic has installed a scalp cooling system designed to reduce the risk of hair loss during chemotherapy.
The technology is based on controlled cooling of the scalp during the administration of antitumor drugs. Under the influence of cold, blood vessels constrict, resulting in less chemotherapy drugs reaching the hair follicles. At the same time, the activity of the hair follicles themselves slows down, which helps reduce hair damage and loss during treatment.
For many patients, preserving hair has not only aesthetic significance. Hair loss remains one of the most noticeable external consequences of cancer treatment and often becomes a serious psychological challenge. The head of the Oncology Clinic, Aija Gerina, notes that this is why such systems have long been used in many countries around the world as part of comprehensive patient support.
The hospital emphasizes that the effectiveness of the method is confirmed by clinical studies and practical experience. The best results are achieved in patients with so-called solid tumors — for example, breast, lung, colon, or prostate cancer. At the same time, specialists remind that the outcome depends on many factors, including the type of tumor, treatment regimen, and individual characteristics of the body.
The new system allows the procedure to be performed for two patients simultaneously. Before its launch, clinic staff underwent special training on how to operate the equipment and select patients who could benefit the most from the technology.
The hospital has installed the Paxman Scalp Cooling System PSCS2, which costs nearly 55,000 euros.
The equipment was purchased as part of a large-scale project to modernize the infrastructure of Stradins Hospital, funded by the European Union and the state budget. The total funding for the project exceeds 42 million euros.
Thus, Latvian cancer patients have gained access to yet another modern technology that helps make treatment not only more effective but also psychologically less burdensome.
