How common is hypothyroidism in postradiation head and neck cancer patients?
Do you treat patients who are clinically hypothyroid but biochemically euthyroid?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
The incidence of postradiation hypothyroidism is hard to determine, as the literature is quite varied. This variation is due to a combination of how hypothyroidism is measured, how much of the thyroid was treated, and when patients were assessed. Recent literature suggests the incidence can approx...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Radiation induced hypothyroidism (RIHT) is common. As described by @Adam S. Garden and @Hong Zhang, the incidence varies in literature. We analyzed 117 pts at VCU, with median Fu of 3 years, 32% developed RIHT (> 5.5), median time is 18 months after RT; nearly 1/3 were detected in the 1st ye...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Incidence of radiation induced hypothyroidism after radiation to the cervical neck has been reported to be around 20 to 30%. Most patients develop hypothyroidism within the first 5 years of follow-up. Although the exact dose response remains elusive, most studies indicate that the ...