Introduction
Cancer survivors are at an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including thyroid neoplasms, given the high radiosensitivity of this gland. The aim of this study is to assess the incidence and timeframe of thyroid complications in cancer patients, followed systematically since their radiation therapy, and to identify risk factors for the development of hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer.
Methods
We performed a retrospective study, including 282 subjects, who received neck, craniospinal, or total body irradiation (TBI). Patients were grouped into four primary diagnostic clusters: leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease, central nervous system, and head and neck tumours.
Results
Hypothyroidism was observed in 56.7% of patients, on average 6.8 ± 5.9 years after the treatment. Neck and craniospinal irradiation presented a 3.5‐fold increased risk for the development of hypothyroidism compared to TBI. Papillary thyroid cancer was diagnosed in 8.5% of the patients, on average, 18.5 ± 4.9 years after radiotherapy (RT). Female gender, younger age, and lower irradiation doses were independently associated with thyroid cancer development.
Conclusion
Our study provides useful information about the risk of hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer after RT, as it was performed in a cohort of patients closely followed since the oncological therapies, and, thus, may give new insights into the follow‐up management of these patients.
Context: Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a therapeutic option for numerous haematologic diseases and solid tumours. Increasing indications for HSCT and reduction in associated mortality have been raising the number of paediatric HSCT survivors and their long-term toxicities. Objective: To characterize the endocrine disorders developed after HSCT. Design and Patients: Retrospective analysis of 152 patients submitted to HSCT in paediatric age with at least 24 months of follow-up at our endocrine late-effects clinics. Results: Patients were followed up for 9.9 (interquartile range [IQR]: 12.2) years. The median age at HSCT was 7.5 (IQR: 9) years. At least one endocrine complication was observed in 65.1% of the patients. Primary hypogonadism was detected in 34.2%. Female gender (p < .001), HSCT > 10 years old (p = .01) and chemotherapy before HSCT (p < .001) were identified as risk factors for developing gonadal dysfunction.Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) occurred in 23.0% with a mean stature Z-score at diagnosis of −1.8 ± 1.4. GHD was associated with cranial (p < .001) and HSCT < 10 years old (p ≤ 0.001). Patients who were exposed to total body irradiation (TBI) were at higher risk for primary hypothyroidism (22.3%) (p = .01), thyroid nodules (17.1%) (p < .001), thyroid carcinoma (5.3%) (p < .001), dyslipidaemia (19.1%) (p < .001) and disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism (19.1%) (p < .001).
Conclusion:At least one endocrine complication was diagnosed in 65.1% of patients, with gonadal dysfunction being the most prevalent. The conditioning regimen with TBI was a risk factor for the development of several endocrine disorders. This study is one of the largest series evaluating the endocrine disorders among survivors of paediatric HSCT and intends to reinforce the importance of routine follow-up of these patients.
Context
Lymph node metastases (LNM) can be present in 35% of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), and the management of persistent/recurrent nodal disease has been controversial. Watchful waiting may be a reasonable approach in selected patients, but uncertainty about clinical outcomes remains a concern.
Objective
To investigate the outcomes of patients with DTC with recurrent/persistent confirmed LNM under surveillance.
Methods
Patients with LNM from DTC were selected from databases of needle washout thyroglobulin measurements and fine‐needle aspiration biopsies performed in our institution. Patients with confirmed metastases, in whom active surveillance was initially proposed, were selected. Main clinical outcomes were analysed.
Results
We found 89 patients with LNM under surveillance. Classic papillary was the most frequent variant (44%). During a median follow‐up of 3 (0.5‐17.2) years, different treatments were needed in 35 (39.3%) patients: radioactive iodine (RAI) in 23 (25.8%), surgery in 9 (10.1%) and radiotherapy (RT) in 3 (3.4%). From those submitted initially to RAI, progression of disease was observed in 8 patients, 4 requiring other treatment modalities: surgery (n = 2), RT (n = 1) and RAI (n = 1). The remaining 54 (60.7%) patients maintained surveillance. In this group, progression of disease was observed in 26 (48.1%), due to increase in the number and/or volume of metastases, but further treatments were not required.
Conclusion
In a group of patients with cervical LNM under active surveillance, only 16.9% (n = 15) required invasive intervention (surgery or RT).
Purpose: The use of FDG-PET/TC for cancer staging has been leading to the increasing diagnosis of adrenal lesions, which usually represent a clinical challenge. Our aim was to characterize the adrenal lesions found in FDG-PET of patients followed in a cancer center.Methods: Retrospective analysis of all FDG-PET studies performed in our center in the last 10 years. Exams reporting adrenal lesions in the CT component and/or anomalous adrenal FDG uptake were selected. Cases were characterized regarding clinical, laboratorial, imaging and pathological ndings.Results: We identi ed 27,427 FDG-PET studies. Of those, 7.6% evidenced adrenal ndings. We included 1364 exams corresponding to 1021 patients. Only 15.6% were referred to the endocrinology department and 38% of the lesions were not studied.Malignant lesions were present in 38.9% of the studied patients: metastases in 37.5%, carcinoma in 1.2% and other malignant tumors in 0.4%. Median SUVmax of malignant lesions was signi cantly higher than the SUVmax of the benign ndings (p<0.05). We also observed a higher median SUVmax in adrenal metastases than in adenomas (p<0.05). There was a tendency for higher SUVmax of adrenal carcinomas when comparing with other malignant lesions (p=0.066). The median SUVmax was not different between pheochromocytomas and other tumors (p>0.05).Conclusion: Occult adrenal lesions discovered during FDG-PET/CT are common in cancer context and are frequently benign. SUVmax may be a useful tool in the workup of adrenal lesions but with several important caveats.
Context
Lung is the most common site of distant metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).
Objective
To investigate the outcomes of a cohort of patients with DTC and lung metastases (LM).
Methods
A retrospective analysis of a cohort of 271 patients with LM was performed.
Results
The female‐to‐male ratio was 1:1 and the median follow‐up time was 5.9 (1.1–38.4) years. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) was the most frequent type (83.4%), mainly the classic variant, followed by follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC, 10.3%) and Hürthle cell carcinoma (HTC, 6.3%). The prevalence of PTC, FTC and HCC was different between the micronodular and macronodular LM groups [87.4%, 6.3% and 6.3% vs. 74.6%, 19.0% and 6.3%, respectively (p = .013)]. Only 5.0% of the patients had LM diagnosed after a period of remission. LM were submitted to radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT) in 84.5% (52.8% showed 131iodine avid metastases). Complete remission was only achieved in 12.2%. Micronodular disease and age <55 years at LM diagnosis were associated with a better prognosis (p < .05). We found no difference in survival between patients with LM treated or not with RAIT. However, in patients submitted to RAIT, there was a tendency for longer survival in the group of patients with 131I avid lesions. Conclusion: The classic variant of PTC was the most frequent histology found in LM of DTC. LM are rarely diagnosed in the follow‐up when complete remission is achieved after surgery and 131I. Younger age at LM diagnosis and a micronodular pattern are associated with a better prognosis.
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