Why does hair fall out when you take etoposide for chemo?

DNA damage: Traditional chemotherapy like etoposide kills fast growing cells. Cancer cells are fast growing, so it attacks them. But, many other cells of our body are growing and dividing, like hair follicles and the linings from our mouth to our anus. Chemo kills these cells too; this explains hair loss, mouth sores, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.