White hair no longer sign of old age
While many consider white hair as a sign of old age, a new study says it proclaims an acceptable response to new treatments in patients with advanced melanoma.
Melanoma is a typically malignant tumor of melanocytes predominantly found in skin. Although the tumor is considered as the least common type of skin cancer, it accounts for the majority (75 percent) of skin cancer-related deaths.
According to the study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, ipilimumab and tremelimumab can turn the consumers' hair completely white.
The two experimental drugs made from different versions of human antibodies fight cancer through blocking CTLA-4 and subsequently boosting the immune system.
Patients whose hair turned white following the consumption of the drug had a complete response to treatment. This suggests that white hair is an early sign indicating that the drugs have worked well against the deadly skin cancer.
"We start to see the depigmentation six months to one year after initiating therapy," said lead researcher Anna Pavlick, adding that the process starts from eyebrows and goes to the crown of the hair.
Source: presstv.ir
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