Will hair loss occur during treatment with gosatuzumab (Todavi)?

Gosatuzumab (Trodelvy, generic name: sacituzumab govitecan) is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) used to treat some advanced or metastatic breast cancer (such as triple-negative breast cancer) and other types of cancer. Its mechanism is to deliver cytotoxic drugs directly into cancer cells through the binding of antibodies to antigens on the surface of tumor cells, thereby enhancing the killing effect on tumor cells. Similar to other chemotherapy drugs, gosatuzumab may cause some side effects during treatment, including hair loss.

Alopecia is a potential side effect during gosatuzumab treatment, although it is not experienced by all patients. Because gosatuzumab is an antibody-drug conjugate that contains a potent cytotoxic drug - irinotecan (SN-38). As a chemotherapy drug, irinotecan can play an anti-tumor effect by inhibiting the DNA synthesis of cancer cells, but it may also affect normal, rapidly dividing cells, especially hair follicle cells. Therefore, some patients may experience varying degrees of hair loss during gosatuzumab treatment.

The severity of hair loss varies from individual to individual; some patients may experience only mild hair loss, while others may experience more significant hair loss. Generally speaking, hair loss usually begins within the first few weeks of treatment and may worsen as treatment continues. Fortunately, hair loss caused by gosatuzumab is reversible in most cases. Once treatment is complete, hair loss usually stops gradually, and the patient's hair is usually able to return to its original condition as hair regrows.

For patients who are concerned about hair loss, their doctor may recommend ways to lessen the effects of hair loss. For example, consider wearing a wig, using scalp care products, and avoiding excessive use of hot tools or chemicals. If hair loss seriously affects the patient's daily life or mental state, the patient should communicate with the doctor in time to find a solution. In addition, patients should undergo regular scalp health examinations while receiving gosatuzumab to ensure that no other potential complications have occurred.

Reference materials:https://www.trodelvy.com/