Alopecia as a Factor of Psychological Distress in the Treatment of Malignant Breast Neoplasm in a Black Woman: Case Report

ABSTRACT

Introduction:  Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is a very common side effect of breast cancer treatments and the scalp cooling method has become the most used to prevent this reaction. Although more widely used, this method causes some adverse effects that are difficult to bear, and for the black population, some points need to be further discussed. The objective of the study is to describe psychological suffering in the treatment of malignant breast neoplasia in black women.

Case report:  Young black woman, with curly hair diagnosed with malignant breast neoplasia, historically affected by structural racism during childhood and adolescence, prefers to start chemotherapy treatment associated with cryotherapy. During treatment, she coped with psychological suffering with resilience and her speech expressed consolidated resources.

Conclusion:  The cryotherapy procedure needs further advances to be more effective in containing frizzy hair alopecia. Furthermore, more studies on the process of oncological illness in black people and the impacts involved are needed.

Key words:
Breast Neoplasms; Alopecia Areata/chemically induced; Cryotherapy; Psychological Distress; Black People