Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8Phase 2NCT07594678
Minoxidil With or Without Low-Level Red-Light Therapy for Improving Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia in Breast Cancer Patients
A Phase 2 study testing Electronic Health Record Review, Minoxidil and Revian RED LED-light cap in people with Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8 and Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This phase II trial compares the safety and effectiveness of topical minoxidil alone to topical minoxidil in combination with low-level red-light therapy for improving chemotherapy-induced hair loss or thinning (alopecia). Minoxidil has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for hair loss. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8
- What is being tested?
- Electronic Health Record Review, Minoxidil and Revian RED LED-light cap
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Nov 2026to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients will be Ohio State University patients > 18 years old
- Patients will have a diagnosis of breast cancer, stages I-IV
- Patients will have been treated with a chemotherapy regimen containing either an anthracycline or taxane
- Patients will have a loss of at least 50% of the hair on the scalp by the final chemotherapy infusion
- Patients will NOT be pregnant or nursing women
- Patients will NOT have a history of scarring/cicatricial alopecia or alopecia areata
Show all 9Show fewer
- Patients will NOT have a known sensitivity to minoxidil
- Patients will NOT have ongoing treatment with an antibody-drug conjugate or immunotherapy
- NOTE: There is no exclusion criteria for utilization of scalp cooling
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center contact
United States1 site
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Brittany L. Dulmage, MD, 614-293-1707, Brittany.Dulmage@osumc.edu
Brittany L. Dulmage, MD
About this study
Official title: A Pilot Study of Low-Level Red-Light Therapy Combined With Topical Minoxidil Compared With Topical Minoxidil Alone in Breast Cancer Patients With Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia
This phase II trial compares the safety and effectiveness of topical minoxidil alone to topical minoxidil in combination with low-level red-light therapy for improving chemotherapy-induced hair loss or thinning (alopecia). Minoxidil has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for hair loss. It increases blood flow in the skin and may have a direct stimulatory effect on hair follicle cells, forcing them from their resting phase into their active growth phase. Low-level light therapy is regarded as a safe and medically accepted treatment for a variety of skin conditions, including acne, scars, and psoriasis. Red light wavelengths are readily absorbed into the skin and do not contain harmful ultraviolet light. When absorbed into the skin, these wavelengths stimulate fibroblasts, which are connective tissue cells that make and secrete collagen proteins. Low-level red-light therapy may improve hair loss by stimulating hair follicles. Combining minoxidil with low-level red-light therapy may be safe and more effective at improving chemotherapy-induced alopecia than minoxidil alone.
Read the detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
- To determine the improvement in hair density as determined by the Dean scale score in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with low-level light therapy (LLLT) and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the improvement in hair density and hair diameter as determined by trichoscopic evaluation in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with LLLT and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
II. To determine the change in the quality-of-life Chemotherapy Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS) questionnaire score in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with LLLT and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity.
ARM II: Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily and undergo low-level red-light therapy with the Revian RED LED-light cap over 10 minutes daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up at 12 months.
- Conditions
- Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia
- Being tested
- Electronic Health Record Review, Minoxidil, Revian RED LED-light cap, Survey Administration
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Electronic Health Record ReviewOther
Ancillary studies
MinoxidilDrug
Also called Alostil, Loniten, Rogaine, U 10858
Given topically
Revian RED LED-light capDevice
Undergo low-level red-light therapy with Revian RED LED-light cap
Survey AdministrationOther
Ancillary studies
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Arm I (minoxidil) | Active comparator | Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Receives: Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Drug: Minoxidil; Other: Survey Administration |
| Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) | Experimental | Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily and undergo low-level red-light therapy with the Revian RED LED-light cap over 10 minutes daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Receives: Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Drug: Minoxidil; Device: Revian RED LED-light cap; Other: Survey Administration |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Dean scale score
The Dean scale measures hair loss along a 4-grade scale. Grade 1 = <25% hair loss. Grade 2= 25-50% hair loss. Grade 3=50-75% hair loss. Grade 4 = >75% hair loss. Success will be defined as Dean scale score of 1 or 0. This will be based on clinical photographs taken at the initial and 6-month visits and scored by two board-certified dermatologists. Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups, including the proportion of patients with a Dean score of 1 or 0 at 6 months.
Measured: After 6 months of intervention
Secondary outcomes (7)
Change in Dean scale score
The Dean scale measures hair loss along a 4-grade scale. Grade 1 = <25% hair loss. Grade 2= 25-50% hair loss. Grade 3=50-75% hair loss. Grade 4 = >75% hair loss.Will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate). Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups.
Measured: From baseline to 2, 4, and 12 months
Change in trichoscopic hair density
Measures of hair density will be taken via trichoscopic photography by use of the HairMetrix device. Density measurements will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate). Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups.
Measured: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in Chemotherapy Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS)
CADS is a 17-item tool that measures hair loss distress. Each question uses a 4-point likert scale (0-3), and total scores range from 0-51 with higher scores indicating greater hair loss distress.
Longitudinal mixed effects linear and generalized linear or logistic models will be used with improvement from baseline as the outcome at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. Randomization group, time point, and their interaction will be used as fixed effects, and a subject random effect will be used to account for within-subject correlation of outcomes. For CADS, baseline score will also be included as a fixed effect. TWill be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate). Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups.
Measured: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in patient reported outcomes (hair loss survey)
Participants will be asked four questions about symptoms related to hair loss over the last week. Each question is scored on a scale with possible answers ranging from 0 (not present) to 10 (as bad as you can imagine). Will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate). Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups.
Measured: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in patient reported outcomes (feelings survey)
Participants will be asked four questions about their general feelings over the last week. Each question is scored on a scale with possible answers ranging from 0 (as bad as it can be) to 10 (as good as it can be). Will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate). Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups.
Measured: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Differences in patient satisfaction (feasibility)
Differences in patient satisfaction will be used to determine differences in feasibility between the two treatment arms. Participants will be asked five questions about their satisfaction with hair changes and study treatment over the last two months. Each question will be scored on a scale ranging from 0 (not satisfied at all) to 10 (as satisfied as I can be). Will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate).
Measured: At 2, 4, and 6 months
Compliance
Differences in medication administration logs will be used to determine differences in compliance between the two treatment arms. For the topical minoxidil group, the proportions of days medication was applied will be reported. For the low-level red-light therapy + minoxidil group, the proportions of days minoxidil was applied as well as the proportions of weeks that the low-level red-light therapy was used will be reported. Will be reported by treatment group using summary statistics (mean and standard deviation, median and quartiles, or count and percentage, as appropriate).
Measured: At 2, 4, and 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 May 2026
- Study start15 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brittany Dulmage, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Investigators
- Brittany L Dulmage, MD, Principal investigator, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07594678
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- OSU-24393
- Other IDs
- NCI-2026-02583
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 2 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Pilot Study of Low-Level Red-Light Therapy Combined With Topical Minoxidil Compared With Topical Minoxidil Alone in Breast Cancer Patients With Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07594678
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OSU-24393
- Conditions
- Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This phase II trial compares the safety and effectiveness of topical minoxidil alone to topical minoxidil in combination with low-level red-light therapy for improving chemotherapy-induced hair loss or thinning (alopecia). Minoxidil has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for hair loss. It increases blood flow in the skin and may have a direct stimulatory effect on hair follicle cells, forcing them from their resting phase into their active growth phase. Low-level light therapy is regarded as a safe and medically accepted treatment for a variety of skin conditions, including acne, scars, and psoriasis. Red light wavelengths are readily absorbed into the skin and do not contain harmful ultraviolet light. When absorbed into the skin, these wavelengths stimulate fibroblasts, which are connective tissue cells that make and secrete collagen proteins. Low-level red-light therapy may improve hair loss by stimulating hair follicles. Combining minoxidil with low-level red-light therapy may be safe and more effective at improving chemotherapy-induced alopecia than minoxidil alone.
Detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
- To determine the improvement in hair density as determined by the Dean scale score in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with low-level light therapy (LLLT) and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To determine the improvement in hair density and hair diameter as determined by trichoscopic evaluation in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with LLLT and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
II. To determine the change in the quality-of-life Chemotherapy Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS) questionnaire score in patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia following treatment with LLLT and topical minoxidil versus topical minoxidil alone.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity.
ARM II: Patients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily and undergo low-level red-light therapy with the Revian RED LED-light cap over 10 minutes daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up at 12 months.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Arm I (minoxidil) | Active comparator | Other: Electronic Health Record Review, Drug: Minoxidil, Other: Survey AdministrationPatients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. |
| Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) | Experimental | Other: Electronic Health Record Review, Drug: Minoxidil, Device: Revian RED LED-light cap, Other: Survey AdministrationPatients receive minoxidil topically to the scalp daily and undergo low-level red-light therapy with the Revian RED LED-light cap over 10 minutes daily for 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Patients will be Ohio State University patients > 18 years old
- Patients will have a diagnosis of breast cancer, stages I-IV
- Patients will have been treated with a chemotherapy regimen containing either an anthracycline or taxane
- Patients will have a loss of at least 50% of the hair on the scalp by the final chemotherapy infusion
- Patients will NOT be pregnant or nursing women
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Health Record ReviewAncillary studies | Other | Arm I (minoxidil), Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) |
| MinoxidilAlso: Alostil, Loniten, Rogaine, U 10858Given topically | Drug | Arm I (minoxidil), Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) |
| Revian RED LED-light capUndergo low-level red-light therapy with Revian RED LED-light cap | Device | Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) |
| Survey AdministrationAncillary studies | Other | Arm I (minoxidil), Arm II (minoxidil, LLLT) |
Primary outcome
Dean scale score
Time frame: After 6 months of intervention
The Dean scale measures hair loss along a 4-grade scale. Grade 1 = <25% hair loss. Grade 2= 25-50% hair loss. Grade 3=50-75% hair loss. Grade 4 = >75% hair loss. Success will be defined as Dean scale score of 1 or 0. This will be based on clinical photographs taken at the initial and 6-month visits and scored by two board-certified dermatologists. Will construct two-sided 95% confidence intervals for improvement from baseline and differences between randomized groups, including the proportion of patients with a Dean score of 1 or 0 at 6 months.
7 secondary outcomes
Change in Dean scale score
Time frame: From baseline to 2, 4, and 12 months
Change in trichoscopic hair density
Time frame: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in Chemotherapy Alopecia Distress Scale (CADS)
Time frame: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in patient reported outcomes (hair loss survey)
Time frame: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Change in patient reported outcomes (feelings survey)
Time frame: From baseline to 2, 4, 6, and 12 months
Differences in patient satisfaction (feasibility)
Time frame: At 2, 4, and 6 months
Compliance
Time frame: At 2, 4, and 6 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Sep 2026.
- The JameslineLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center contact
Brittany L Dulmage, MD principal investigator
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Electronic Health Record Review, Minoxidil and Revian RED LED-light cap in people with Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8 and Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (800-293-5066, OSUCCCClinicaltrials@osumc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Dean scale score (time frame: After 6 months of intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Sep 2026.