Abstract
Objectives: The thyroid gland is frequently affected by radiotherapy applied for the treatment of head and neck tumors. Hypothyroidism is observed as a late side effect of radiotherapy, especially seen in the patients who have surgery in the treatment procedure.
Methods: We evaluated the radiation-induced hypothyroidism for a selected type of head and neck cancer—nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC)—which does not include surgery involving the thyroid gland in the treatment.
Results: We observed 12 patients (14%) who developed hypothyroidism, two of which were subclinical hypothyroidism. The patients with hypothyroidism were statistically significantly younger than the euthyroid patients, but there were no statistically significant differences among the two groups in disease stages, radiotherapy neck doses, and gender.
Conclusions: We recommend life-long TSH screening after RT to the neck owing to the incidence of RT-induced hypothyroidism and the importance of early thyroid hormone replacement therapy in patients becoming hypothyroid for maintaining optimal quality of life.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jereczek-Fossa BA, et al. Radiotherapy-induced throid disorders. Cancer Treat Rev 2004;30(4):369–384.
Constine LS, et al. Thyroid dysfunction after radiotherapy in children with Hodgkin’s disease. Cancer 1984;53(4):878–893.
Nishiyama K, et al. Acute radiation thyroiditis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1996;36(5):1221–1224.
Buisset E, et al. Hypothyroidism following combined treatment for hypopharyngeal and laryngeal carcinoma. Am J Surg 1991;162(4):345–347.
Daoud J, et al. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in childhood and adolescence: analysis of a series of 32 patients treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Eur J Cancer 2003;39(16):2349–2350.
Tell R, et al. Long-term incidence of hypothyroidism after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2004;60(2):395–400.
Cinar U, et al. The effect of laryngectomy and postoperative radiotherapy on thyroid gland functions. Kulak Burun Boğaz Ihtis Derg 2003;10(6):226–230
Yoden E, et al. Hypothyroidism after radiotherapy to the neck. Nippon Igaku Hoshasen Gakkai Zasshi 2004;64(3):146–150.
Khoo VS, et al. Thyroid dysfunction after mantle irradiation of Hodgkin’s disease patients. Australas Radiol 1998;42(1):52–57.
Mercado G, et al. Hypothyroidism: a frequent event after radiotherapy and after radiotherapy with chemotherapy for patients with head and neck carcinoma. Cancer 2001;92(11):2892–2897.
Koc M, et al. A prospective evaluation of early thyroid dysfunction on completion of neck radiotherapy. Oral Oncology 2003;39(6):597–600.
Nishiyama K, et al. A prospective analysis of subacute thyroid dysfunction after neck irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1996;34(2):439–444.
Kaplan MM, et al. Risk factors for thyroid abnormalities after neck irradiation for childhood cancer. Am J Med 1983;74(2):272–280.
Atahan IL, et al. Thyroid dysfunction in children receiving neck irradiation for Hodgkin’s disease. Radiat Med 1998;16(5):359–361.
Illes A, et al. Hypothrodism and thyroiditis after therapy for Hodgkin’s disease. Acta Haematol 2003;109(1):11–17.
Yildiz F, et al. Prospective study of combined modality treatment or radiotherapy alone in the management of early stage adult Hodgkin’s disease. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2004;60(3):839–846.
Selek U, et al. Treatment results of 59 young patients with nasopharyngeal carsinoma. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2005;69(2):201–207.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ülger, Ş., Ülger, Z., Yildiz, F. et al. Incidence of hypothyroidism after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Med Oncol 24, 91–94 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685908
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685908