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Title: Hyperparathyroidism After Irradiation for Childhood Malignancy

Journal Article · · International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics
;  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [1]
  1. University of Sydney Endocrine Surgical Unit, Sydney, NSW (Australia)
  2. Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW (Australia)
  3. Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney (Australia)
  4. Late Effects Oncology Clinic, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney (Australia)
  5. Oncology Service, Auckland Hospital, Auckland (New Zealand)

Purpose: To examine the occurrence of hyperparathyroidism in a cohort of patients undergoing combined parathyroid and thyroid surgery after previous head-and-neck irradiation for childhood malignancy. Methods and Materials: This is a retrospective cohort study for the years 1996 to 2007. The study group comprised patients undergoing surgery in University of Sydney Endocrine Surgical Unit who had received previous head-and-neck irradiation in childhood and who were identified as having pathologic thyroid and parathyroid characteristics. Results: A total of 53 patients were identified in whom head-and-neck irradiation for the treatment of childhood malignancy had been documented. In each of the cases, thyroid disease was the primary reason for referral for surgery. Five of these patients (10%) were found to exhibit coexisting hyperparathyroidism. The latency period for hyperparathyroidism was less than 20 years in 4 of the 5 cases. There were four conventional parathyroid adenomas and one parathyroid lipoadenoma. All patients exhibited a significant decrease in postoperative calcium levels after surgery. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the significant risk of hyperparathyroidism after radiation exposure for childhood malignancy. The timeframe for development of disease is much shorter than that published for individuals who have undergone irradiation for benign diseases. High doses of therapeutic radiation at a young age make childhood survivors of malignancy at especially high risk for developing hyperparathyroidism.

OSTI ID:
21172680
Journal Information:
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 73, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2008.06.1487; PII: S0360-3016(08)02460-7; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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