Thyroiditis after treatment with interleukin-2 and interferon α-2a

Abstract

Summary Serial thyroid functions studies were carried out in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma treated with interleukin-2 (3 MU m-2 by continuous infusion days 1-4) and interferon a-2a (6 MU m-2 subcutaneously on days 1 and 4), both given on alternate weeks. The results on eight patients who completed at least three cycles of treatment are described. Four patients developed thyroid dysfunction with a hyperthyroid phase of 2 weeks followed by a hypothyroid phase ranging from 12 to 24 weeks. Two patients became clinically symptomatic and required treatment. Fine-needle aspirates of the thyroid were obtained in three patients with thyroid dysfunction. The considered to be 0-350 IE ml-' with 350-500 U ml-' borderline and > 500 IE ml-X elevated. Levels of anti-nuclear, anti-mitochondrial, anti-parietal and anti-islet cell antibodies were measured by indirect immunofluorescence (Kit from Zeus Scientifics Inc., Raritan, NJ, USA, and DMD AG, Schaffhausen, Switzerland).Cytological studies Fine-needle aspirations were done in three patients with thyroid dysfunction using a 25-gauge needle and a 20 ml disposable syringe in a Cameco-holder. The

Thyroid dysfunction can predict response to immunotherapy with interleukin-2 and interferon-2α

“…This pattern has been previously noted (Pichert et al, 1990) in a study using the same protocol of therapy and correlates well with an auto-immune pattern. It is therefore of interest that none of these patients had anti-thyroid antibodies detected.…”

“…The development of abnormal thyroid function has been well documented in association with treatment with alpha-interferon alone, IL-2 alone, IL-2 plus LAK cells, and IL-2 plus alpha-interferon (Atkins et al, 1988;Pichert et al, 1990). …”

“…The mechanism responsible for this phenomenon has not been fully elucidated, but it is probably an auto-immune phenomenon due to the induction of HLA class II antigens on thyroid epithelial tissue (Atkins et al, 1988;Pichert et al, 1990). The aim of this study was to examine the possible correlation between the development of abnormal thyroid function and tumour response in a group of patients receiving IL-2 and IFN-2a for advanced malignancy.…”

The Prevalence of Thyroid Autoantibodies in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

“…28 İnterferon (IFN)-alfa kullanımı sırasında tiroid disfonksiyonu gelişebildiği bundan yaklaşık 20 yıl önce gösterilmiştir. 29,30 Daha sonra yapılan çalış-malarda, IFN-beta1b kullanımı ile ilişkili tiroid disfonksiyonu %8,3-33 arasında gösterilmiştir. [31][32][33][34] Durelli ve ark., IFN-beta1b tedavisi sonrasında bazı hastalarda tiroid otoantikorlarının geliştiğini saptamışlardır.…”

Thyroid Function Abnormalities in Patients Receiving Anticancer Agents

“…In addition to hypothyroidism, thyroiditis and thyrotoxicosis have also been reported at a lesser frequency [55,56]. An early phase of presumably destructive thyrotoxicosis is common, with variable degrees of hyperthyroidism [57].…”