Mount Sinai South Nassau offers cold-cap therapy for cancer patients

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To help prevent hair loss for eligible breast-cancer patients in chemotherapy, Mount Sinai South Nassau Breast Health Services is now offering cold-cap therapy.

Cold-cap therapy was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce hair loss from some chemotherapy drugs. The hospital is offering this therapy through the DigniCap System, which is designed  to minimize hair loss, helping patients improve quality of life and self-esteem while in treatment.

The Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition has pledged $15,000 annually for the next three years to support Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Breast Health Services cold-cap therapy program. The hospital has set aside a portion of money raised at its 2023 annual golf outing to cover costs for these preventive services that may be denied by patients’ health insurance.

The coalition’s pledge will help fund the leasing of two Dignicap systems as well as the silicone caps worn by the patients.

“We are grateful for the coalition’s pledge and commitment to our patients and the communities we serve,” Dr. Adhi Sharma, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s president, said in a statement.

“We look forward to collaborating with the coalition on this essential service to ensure that it is available to all eligible patients, regardless of cost concerns,” Sharma added.

Studies have shown that cold-cap therapy can prevent hair loss in 66.3% of patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy and is well tolerated by most patients.

Cold-cap therapy is initiated prior to the start of each chemotherapy session. The Dignicap System’s silicone cooling cap, supported by an insulating outer rubber cap, is placed snugly on the patient’s head. Flexible lightweight tubing connects the cooling cap to a control unit that circulates chilled liquid through the tubing to the silicone cap, delivering consistent, controlled cooling to all areas of the scalp. The therapy decreases blood flow through the scalp, limiting the amount of chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles and reducing the risk of chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

“Breast cancer can be an emotionally devastating diagnosis and the cold-cap program helps give hope to women who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment,” Anthony Cancellieri, co-chair of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s board of directors, said in a statement.

“We don’t want to turn any woman away because of the cost, so donating some of the golf outing proceeds was an easy call to make. We are pleased to support this initiative,” he added.

“We want to treat the whole patient and offering this service is part of our commitment to provide our patients with comprehensive and compassionate care,” Dr. Rajiv Datta, the cancer program medical director at Mount Sinai South Nassau, said in a statement.

“It is our hope that cold-cap therapy will instill our patients with encouragement and an optimistic outlook during their treatment journey,” Datta said.