ACUTE LEUKEMIA FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF RADIOIODINE FOR THYROTOXICOSIS

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1963 · Lancet (England)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(63)90676-7· OSTI ID:4088632

Thomson, J A

Development of leukemia in a 40-yr-old woman treated with I/sup 131/ is reported, as well as the results of chromosome studies to investigate the possible etiologic role of radiation. A smali nodular goiter was found initially and the clinical diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis was confirmed by radioiodine studies (24-hr uptake of I/sup 131/ = 72% dose; 48-hr protein-bound I/sup 131/ = 1.47% dose/l plasma). She was given a therapeutic dose of 10 mC I/sup 131/ and her condition improved greatly. Eight months later she became hypothyroid and was given thyroxine. She responded satisfactorily to this and was stabilized on a dose of 0.25 mg daily. Acute leukemia was diagnosed 18 months after I/sup 131/ therapy and death followed a month later. Chromosome studies, carried out on the marrow cells, gave completely normal results, suggesting that radiation may not have been the cause of the leukemia. A review of reports of leukemia following radioiodine therapy for thyrotoxicosis shows only 18 cases, of which 3 were from Great Britain. Thus the frequency of leukemia in general was no higher in the patients treated with radioiodine for thyrotoxicosis than in the controi population, but the incidence of acute leukemia (13 out of 17 where the type of leukemia was known) was higher than expected. The present case was also acute, but the chromosomal analysis supports the view that the radioiodine therapy was not the cause of the subsequent leukemia. Another report shows that five out of seven patients with acute leukemia after therapeutic irradiation had definite chromosomal abnormalities and slight changes were present in the other two patients. In contrast, of 15 patients with acute leukemia who had not been exposed to radiation, chromosomal abnormalities were found in only three. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Royal Infirmary, Glasgow
• NSA Number: NSA-18-013592
• OSTI ID: 4088632
• Journal Information: Lancet (England), Journal Name: Lancet (England) Vol. Vol: 2; ISSN LANCA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BLOOD CELLS
BONE MARROW
CARCINOGENESIS
CHROMOSOMES
CYTOLOGY
DISEASES
GOITER
IODINE
LEUKEMIA
LEUKEMOGENESIS
MAN
MEDICINE
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOTHERAPY
THYROID
THYROTOXICOSIS