Risk of developing chronic myeloid neoplasms in well-differentiated thyroid cancer patients treated with radioactive iodine

Protective effects of Panax Ginseng against 131I-induced genotoxicity in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND

Radioiodine (131I) therapy (RAIT) is associated with oxidative stress (OS)-induced DNA damage in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The goal of this study was to evaluate the possible ameliorating effects of Panax Ginseng (PG) on RAIT-induced genotoxicity in patients with DTC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty DTC patients who had received 131I (100 to 175 mCi) were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly classified (n = 10) into control, placebo, PG1 groups (receiving 500 mg/day of PG for 2 days before RAIT), and PG2 group (receiving 500 mg/day of PG for 2 days before to 1 day after RAIT). Blood samples were collected before and 2 days after RAIT. Lymphocyte micronuclei (MN) frequency was measured using the MN assay. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) were measured using colorimetric assays. Serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured using commercial kits.

RESULTS

The mean of baseline MN frequency was the same in the four groups. RAIT increased the MN frequencies to at least three times the baseline values in the control (39 ± 5) and placebo groups (38 ± 6) (P < 0.001). PG caused a significant decrease in the MN frequencies in the treated groups compared to the control and placebo groups (P < 0.001). RAIT and PG administration had no significant effects on the serum IMA, TAC, and markers of liver and kidney toxicity.

CONCLUSION

PG could be considered a useful remedy for the protection against RAIT-induced chromosomal damage in DCT patients.

Crosstalk between Thyroid Carcinoma and Tumor-Correlated Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common malignancy in the endocrine system. Although most TC can achieve a desirable prognosis, some refractory thyroid carcinomas, including radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer, as well as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, face a myriad of difficulties in clinical treatment. These types of tumors contribute to the majority of TC deaths due to limited initial therapy, recurrence, and metastasis of the tumor and tumor resistance to current clinically targeted drugs, which ultimately lead to treatment failure. At present, a growing number of studies have demonstrated crosstalk between TC and tumor-associated immune cells, which affects tumor deterioration and metastasis through distinct signal transduction or receptor activation. Current immunotherapy focuses primarily on cutting off the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells. Since the advent of immunotherapy, scholars have discovered targets for TC immunotherapy, which also provides new strategies for TC treatment. This review methodically and intensively summarizes the current understanding and mechanism of the crosstalk between distinct types of TC and immune cells, as well as potential immunotherapy strategies and clinical research results in the area of the tumor immune microenvironment. We aim to explore the current research advances to formulate better individualized treatment strategies for TC patients and to provide clues and references for the study of potential immune checkpoints and the development of immunotherapy technologies.

Second Primary Malignancies in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer after Radionuclide Therapy: A Retrospective Single-Centre Study

Second primary malignancies (SPM) are described as any primary, not synchronous, malignancy arising in a different anatomical district, with confirmed histological diagnosis. Age at diagnosis, previous non-thyroidal primary malignancy, and radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy have been proposed as independent risk factors for SPM. RAI therapy is a standard treatment for moderate-high risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), and its effect on the development of SPM has become a critical topic in DTC treatment. The purpose of this retrospective single-center study was to investigate the occurrence and the possible association of non-thyroidal SPM diagnosed after DTC and RAI therapy in a cohort of 1326 consecutive DTC patients referred at our Institution for RAI treatment from 1993 to 2009. Eighty-nine patients with ages ≤ 18 years at the time of DTC diagnosis or with a follow-up of ≤12 months were excluded from the final analysis. All patients underwent a complete clinical and hematological follow-up every 6 months for a minimum of 12 months. During follow-up (mean 89 ± 73 months), 25 patients (2%) had an SPM diagnosis (mean 133 ± 73 months). The most common site of the second malignancy was the breast, accounting for 32% of all SPM, followed by colon-rectal cancer (16%), leukemia, and gynecological and kidney cancer (4%). At Cox univariable regression analysis, age at DTC diagnosis (p < 0.001), age ≥55 years (p < 0.001) and follow-up duration (p < 0.004) were associated with SPM onset, while no significant association was observed with the administered activity of radioiodine. In conclusion, our data suggest that the older a person gets, the more sharply the likelihood of developing additional diseases, such as PMS, increases. Similarly, for follow-up, the more a patient is followed up clinically over time, the higher the risk of new diagnoses increases.

Metachronous Multiple Primary Carcinoma With Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: 2 Cases Report and Literature Review

The co-occurrence of multiple primary cancers with hematological malignancies is uncommon, and acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with MPC is even rarer, with only a few cases reported in the literature. Herein, we introduce the diagnosis and treatment of 2 cases of MPC complicated with APL in our hospital and review the relevant literature. Both patients were primary solid tumor patients and were treated with surgery and chemotherapy, and had stable disease (SD). However, more than 1 year after the primary tumor was diagnosed, clinical symptoms were found and APL was diagnosed. Both patients received standard remission-induction therapy, but unfortunately died in the short term due to hemorrhagic complications. In conclusion, treatment of hematological neoplasms, especially acute leukemia combined with multiple primary cancers, is challenging. The prognostic factors and survival analysis of MPC patients with combined APL still need further clinical research and analysis.

In utero origin of myelofibrosis presenting in adult monozygotic twins

The latency between acquisition of an initiating somatic driver mutation by a single-cell and clinical presentation with cancer is largely unknown. We describe a remarkable case of monozygotic twins presenting with CALR mutation-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) (aged 37 and 38 years), with a clinical phenotype of primary myelofibrosis. The CALR mutation was absent in T cells and dermal fibroblasts, confirming somatic acquisition. Whole-genome sequencing lineage tracing revealed a common clonal origin of the CALR-mutant MPN clone, which occurred in utero followed by twin-to-twin transplacental transmission and subsequent similar disease latency. Index sorting and single-colony genotyping revealed phenotypic hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as the likely MPN-propagating cell. Furthermore, neonatal blood spot analysis confirmed in utero origin of the JAK2V617F mutation in a patient presenting with polycythemia vera (aged 34 years). These findings provide a unique window into the prolonged evolutionary dynamics of MPNs and fitness advantage exerted by MPN-associated driver mutations in HSCs.

Association Between Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Pediatric and Young Adulthood Differentiated Thyroid Cancer and Risk of Second Primary Malignancies

PURPOSE

Since the 1980s, both the incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and use of radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment increased markedly. RAI has been associated with an increased risk of leukemia, but risks of second solid malignancies remain unclear. We aimed to quantify risks of second malignancies associated with RAI treatment for DTC in children and young adults, who are more susceptible than older adults to the late effects of radiation.

METHODS

Using nine US SEER cancer registries (1975-2017), we estimated relative risks (RRs) for solid and hematologic malignancies associated with RAI (yes v no or unknown) using Poisson regression among ≥ 5- and ≥ 2-year survivors of nonmetastatic DTC diagnosed before age 45 years, respectively.

RESULTS

Among 27,050 ≥ 5-year survivors (median follow-up = 15 years), RAI treatment (45%) was associated with increased risk of solid malignancies (RR = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.37). Risks were increased for uterine cancer (RR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.03 to 2.32) and nonsignificantly for cancers of the salivary gland (RR = 2.15; 95% CI, 0.91 to 5.08), stomach (RR = 1.61; 95% CI, 0.70 to 3.69), lung (RR = 1.42; 95% CI, 0.97 to 2.08), and female breast (RR = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.40). Risks of total solid and female breast cancer, the most common cancer type, were highest among ≥ 20-year DTC survivors (RR_solid = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.74; RR_breast = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.95). Among 32,171 ≥ 2-year survivors, RAI was associated with increased risk of hematologic malignancies (RR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.01), including leukemia (RR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.56). We estimated that 6% of solid and 14% of hematologic malignancies in pediatric and young adult DTC survivors may be attributable to RAI.

CONCLUSION

In addition to leukemia, RAI treatment for childhood and young-adulthood DTC was associated with increased risks of several solid cancers, particularly more than 20 years after exposure, supporting the need for long-term surveillance of these patients.

Second primary malignancy risk in thyroid cancer and matched patients with and without radioiodine therapy analysis from the observational health data sciences and informatics

PURPOSE

Risk of second primary malignancy (SPM) after radioiodine (RAI) therapy has been continuously debated. The aim of this study is to identify the risk of SPM in thyroid cancer (TC) patients with RAI compared with TC patients without RAI from matched cohort.

METHODS

Retrospective propensity-matched cohorts were constructed across 4 hospitals in South Korea via the Observational Health Data Science and Informatics (OHDSI), and electrical health records were converted to data of common data model. TC patients who received RAI therapy constituted the target group, whereas TC patients without RAI therapy constituted the comparative group with 1:1 propensity score matching. Hazard ratio (HR) by Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the risk of SPM, and meta-analysis was performed to pool the HRs.

RESULTS

Among a total of 24,318 patients, 5,374 patients from each group were analyzed (mean age 48.9 and 49.2, women 79.4% and 79.5% for target and comparative group, respectively). All hazard ratios of SPM in TC patients with RAI therapy were ≤ 1 based on 95% confidence interval(CI) from full or subgroup analyses according to thyroid cancer stage, time-at-risk period, SPM subtype (hematologic or non-hematologic), and initial age (< 30 years or ≥ 30 years). The HR within the target group was not significantly higher (< 1) in patients who received over 3.7 GBq of I-131 compared with patients who received less than 3.7 GBq of I-131 based on 95% CI.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference of the SPM risk between TC patients treated with I-131 and propensity-matched TC patients without I-131 therapy.

Incidence rate and factors associated with the development of secondary cancers after radioiodine therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer: a multicenter retrospective study

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of secondary cancers and the factors associated with their development among patients who underwent radioiodine therapy (RIT) with differentiated thyroid cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected medical records for patients who underwent first RIT between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2005, from seven tertiary hospitals in South Korea after total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer. Cancer incidence and calculated standardized rate ratio were compared with Korean cancer incidence data. The association between the development of secondary cancers and various parameters was analyzed by Cox-proportional hazard regression.

RESULTS

A total of 3106 patients were included in this study. Mean age at the time of diagnosis of thyroid cancer was 45.7 ± 13.3 years old, and 2669 (85.9%) patients were female. The follow-up period was 11.9 ± 4.6 (range, 1.2-19.6) years. A total of 183 secondary cancers, which included 162 solid and 21 hematologic cancers, occurred in 173 patients (5.6%). There was no significant difference between solid cancer incidence in our study population who underwent RIT and the overall Korean population, but the incidence of hematologic cancers and total cancer in our study was significantly higher compared with that of the Korean population. A multivariate analysis identified independent prognostic factors for the development of secondary cancer including age at 1st RIT, male, and total cumulative dose over 200 mCi.

CONCLUSION

We need to assess the risk benefit for patients who receive over 200 mCi of a total cumulative dose.

Risk of hematologic malignancies after breast ductal carcinoma in situ treatment with ionizing radiation

The increased incidence of secondary hematologic malignancies (SHM) is a well-known, potentially fatal, complication after cancer treatment. It is unknown if patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast treated with external beam radiotherapy (RT) and who survive long-term have increased risks of secondary hematologic malignancies (SHM), especially for low/intermediate-risk subsets with limited benefits from RT. DCIS patients in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries (1975-2016) were identified. Relative risks (RR), hazard ratio (HR), and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated to assess the SHM risk and subsequent survival times. SHM development, defined as a nonsynchronous SHM occurring ≥1 year after DCIS diagnosis, was our primary endpoint. Of 184,363 eligible patients with DCIS, 77,927 (42.3%) in the RT group, and 106,436 (57.7%) in the non-RT group, 1289 developed SHMs a median of 6.4 years (interquartile range, 3.5 to 10.3 years) after their DCIS diagnosis. Compared with DCIS patients in the non-RT group, RT was associated with increased early risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL; hazard ratio, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.21 to 8.17; P = 0.02), and a delayed risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; hazard ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.62; P < 0.001). This increased risk of ALL and NHL after RT was also observed in subgroup analyses restricted to low/intermediate-risk DCIS. In summary, our data suggest that RT after breast conserving surgery for DCIS patients should be cautiously tailored, especially for low and intermediate-risk patients. Long-term SHM surveillance after DCIS diagnosis is warranted.

Randomised comparison of 1.1 GBq and 3.7 GBq radioiodine to ablate the thyroid in the treatment of low-risk thyroid cancer: a 13-year follow-up

Purpose: The optimal activity of radioiodine (I-131) administered for ablation therapy in papillary and follicular thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy remains unknown in a long-term (> 10 year) follow-up. Some, shorter follow-up studies suggest that activities 1.1 GBq and 3.7 GBq are equally effective. We evaluated the long-term outcomes after radioiodine treatment to extend current knowledge about the optimal ablative dose of I-131.Methods: One hundred and sixty consecutive adult patients (129 females, 31 males; mean age 46 ± 14 y, range 18-89 y) diagnosed with histologically confirmed differentiated thyroid cancer, were randomised in a prospective, phase III, open-label, single-centre study, to receive either 1.1 GBq or 3.7 GBq of I-131 after thyroidectomy. At randomisation, patients were stratified according to the histologically verified cervical lymph node status and were prepared for ablation using thyroid hormone withdrawal. No uptake in the whole-body scan with I-131 and serum thyroglobulin concentration less than 1 ng/mL at 4-8 months after treatment was considered successful ablation.Results: Median follow-up time was 13.0 years (mean 11.0 ± 4.8 y; range 0.3-17.1 y). Altogether 81 patients received 1.1 GBq with successful ablation in 45 (56%) patients. In the original study, thirty-six patients (44%) needed one or more extra administrations to replete the ablation. Of these, 4 (8.9%) and 5 (14%) patients relapsed during the follow-up, respectively. Of the 79 patients treated with 3.7 GBq 45 (57%) had successful ablation after one administration of radioiodine and 34 (43%) needed several treatments. Of these, 2 (4.4%) and 9 (26.5%) patients relapsed, respectively. The groups did not differ in the proportion of patients relapsing (p = .591).Conclusion: During follow-up of median 13 years, 3.7 GBq is not superior to 1.1 GBq in the radioiodine treatment after thyroidectomy in papillary and follicular thyroid cancer.

Looking under the hood of "the Cadillac of cancers:" radioactive iodine-related craniofacial side effects among patients with thyroid cancer

PURPOSE

Despite having a generally favorable prognosis, differentiated thyroid cancer is known to have a significant, long-term impact on the quality of life of survivors. We wished to investigate short- and long-term effects among thyroid cancer survivors following radioactive iodine therapy.

METHODS

We conducted eight focus groups (N = 47) to understand patients' experiences of short- and long-term effects after radioactive iodine treatment and the impact these treatment-related side effects had on patients' quality of life. We elicited responses regarding experiences with side effects following radioactive iodine treatment, particularly salivary, lacrimal, and nasal symptoms. We transcribed audiotapes and conducted qualitative analyses to identify codes and themes.

RESULTS

We identified eight broad themes from the qualitative analyses. Themes reflecting physical symptoms included dry mouth, salivary gland dysfunction, altered taste, eye symptoms such as tearing or dryness, and epistaxis. Psychosocial themes included lack of knowledge and preparation for treatment, regret of treatment, and distress that thyroid cancer is labeled as a "good cancer."

CONCLUSIONS

Thyroid cancer survivors reported a wide range of radioactive iodine treatment-related effects and psychosocial concerns that appear to reduce quality of life. The psychosocial concerns reported by participants underscore the significant unmet information and support needs prior to and following RAI treatment among individuals diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Future research is needed to help both patients and physicians understand the effect of radioactive iodine on quality of life, and to better assess the benefits versus the risks of radioactive iodine therapy.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Subsequent Malignant Neoplasm Risk After Radioactive Iodine Treatment of Thyroid Cancer

Background: The potential risk of subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs) after radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment of thyroid cancer (TC) is an important concern. Methods: A systematic review was updated comparing the risk of SMNs in TC patients treated with RAI to TC patients without RAI. Six electronic databases were searched (up to March, 2018), supplemented with a hand search. Two reviewers independently screened citations, reviewed full-text papers, and critically appraised/abstracted data. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using crude data and data statistically adjusted for confounders. The outcomes were any SMN and specific SMNs for which sufficient data were available. Results: In total, 3506 unique electronic search citations and 93 full-text papers were examined, including 17 studies (3 systematic reviews and 14 original studies). Published knowledge syntheses were limited by inclusion of small numbers of studies, with two systematic reviews suggesting an increased risk of any SMN and one meta-analysis suggesting a reduced risk of breast SMN after RAI treatment. In a meta-analysis of crude data, the risk ratio of any SMN in RAI-treated TC patients was 0.98 ([confidence interval (CI) 0.76-1.27]; n = 10 studies of 65,539 individuals, heterogeneity Q = 64.26, degrees of freedom [df] = 9, p < 0.001, I² = 85.99). The pooled risk ratio for any SMN, adjusted for confounders, was 1.16 ([CI 0.97-1.39]; n = 6 studies, data from at least 11,241 TC patients, Q = 10.86, df = 5, p = 0.054, I² = 53.96). In secondary analyses examining specific SMNs, although relatively rare, the risk of subsequent leukemia was increased, but the risk of multiple myeloma was reduced in RAI-treated TC patients. There was no significant increased relative risk of breast cancer, salivary cancer, or combined hematologic malignancies according to RAI treatment status. Conclusions: The body of evidence on whether ¹³¹I treatment of thyroid cancer is associated with the primary outcome of any SMN is highly heterogeneous and complex. More research examining the long-term risk of specific SMNs after ¹³¹I treatment is needed.

Risk of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome after autotransplants for lymphomas and plasma cell myeloma

BACKGROUND

Exposures to DNA-damaging drugs and ionizing radiations increase risks of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

METHODS

9028 recipients of hematopoietic cell autotransplants (1995-2010) for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL; n = 916), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; n = 3546) and plasma cell myeloma (PCM; n = 4566), reported to the CIBMTR, were analyzed for risk of subsequent AML or MDS.

RESULTS

335 MDS/AML cases were diagnosed posttransplant (3.7%). Variables associated with an increased risk for AML or MDS in multivariate analyses were: (1) conditioning with total body radiation versus chemotherapy alone for HL (HR = 4.0; 95% confidence interval [1.4, 11.6]) and NHL (HR = 2.5 [1.1, 2.5]); (2) ≥3 versus 1 line of chemotherapy for NHL (HR = 1.9 [1.3, 2.8]); and (3) subjects with NHL transplanted in 2005-2010 versus 1995-1999 (HR = 2.1 [1.5, 3.1]). Using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data, we found risks for AML/MDS in HL, NHL and PCM to be 5-10 times the background rate. In contrast, relative risks were 10-50 for AML and approximately 100 for MDS in the autotransplant cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

There are substantial risks of AML and MDS after autotransplants for HL, NHL and PCM.

Risk of subsequent myeloid neoplasms after radiotherapy treatment for a solid cancer among adults in the United States, 2000-2014

Although increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been observed after chemotherapy and radiotherapy, less is known about radiotherapy-related risks of specific AML subtypes and other specific myeloid neoplasms. We used the US population-based cancer registry data to evaluate risk of myeloid neoplasms among three cohorts of cancer survivors initially treated with radiotherapy only. We included 1-year survivors of first primary thyroid (radioiodine only, stages I-IV; N = 49 879), prostate (excluding stage IV; N = 237 439), or uterine corpus cancers (stage I-II; N = 16 208) diagnosed during 2000-2013. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and excess absolute risks (EARs). Thyroid cancer survivors had significantly elevated risks of total AML (SIR = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.99-3.76), AML with cytogenetic abnormalities (SIR = 3.90, 95% CI: 1.57-8.04), AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (SIR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.05-6.25), and BCR-ABL1-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (SIR = 5.38, 95% CI: 2.58-9.89). Irradiated prostate and uterine corpus cancer survivors were at elevated risk for total AML (SIR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03-1.27 and SIR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.01-2.87, respectively), AML with cytogenetic abnormalities (SIR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.84-3.37 and SIR = 7.21, 95% CI: 2.34-16.83, respectively), and acute promyelocytic leukemia (SIR = 3.20, 95% CI: 2.20-4.49 and SIR = 8.88, 95% CI: 2.42-22.73, respectively). In addition, prostate cancer survivors were at increased risk of BCR-ABL1-positive CML (SIR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.52-2.85). Our findings support the importance of diagnostic precision in myeloid neoplasm classification since susceptibility following radiotherapy may vary by myeloid neoplasm subtype, thereby informing risk/benefit discussions in first primary cancer treatment.