Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will now offer breast cancer patients DigniCap, a scalp cooling system that reduces the likelihood of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
The DigniCap system, manufactured by Sweden-based Dignitana AB, features a tight-fitting silicone cooling cap that is placed directly on the head and is connected to a cooling and control unit. The lowered temperature results in reduced blood flow to the scalp so that less chemotherapy reaches hair cells. In addition, cellular metabolism within the hair cells is slowed, therefore, hair cells are not exposed to the full dose of chemotherapy and may be able to survive the treatment.
William Cronin, CEO of Dignitana Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Dignitana AB, said the company is proud to add Memorial Sloan Kettering to its list of facilities that will provide this treatment option to patients.
“Bringing the DigniCap system to MSK is an important milestone for Dignitana,” he said.
The treatment will be available at eight of Memorial Sloan Kettering”™s outpatient facilities in the New York City area, including MSK Westchester in West Harrison.
A clinical team from Dignitana is working directly with practitioners at New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering”™s facilities to train and certify staff on the machine. Nearly 100 nurses and other medical personnel will be trained in preparation for the service”™s launch this spring.
