No dye: Cancer patients' gray hair darkened on immune drugs
By LINDSEY TANNER, Associated Press
Jul 21, 2017 10:25 AM CDT
This undated combination of photos provided by the Journal of the American Medical Association in July 2017 shows a cancer patient with gray hair that unexpectedly turned dark while taking new immunotherapy drugs. Fourteen such cases were among 52 lung cancer patients being followed to see whether they...   (Associated Press)

CHICAGO (AP) — Cancer patients' gray hair unexpectedly turned youthfully dark while taking novel drugs, and it has doctors scratching their heads.

Chemotherapy is notorious for making hair fall out, but the 14 lung cancer patients involved were all being treated with new immunotherapy drugs that work differently and have different side effects. A Spanish study suggests that may include restoring hair pigment.

All but one patient had at least stable disease and responded better to treatment than other patients. That suggests that hair darkening might be an indication that the drugs are working. But the researchers say more study is needed to show their results aren't a fluke, and to answer how the drugs might change hair color.

The study was published online this month in JAMA Dermatology.

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