title: Hypothyroidism after x irradiation to the neck: three case reports and a brief review of the literature.
abstract: Three patients who developed hypothyroidism after x irradiation to the neck are presented. The first two cases demonstrate that patients can develop clinical and chemical hypothyroidism after a very short interval following radiotherapy. Hypothyroidism developed in the first patient in the absence of surgical manipulation of the neck, or a large iodine load 4 months after receiving 6800 rad of x-ray therapy to his neck for carcinoma of the larynx. The second patient developed hypothyroidism approximately 6 months after his radiotherapy for carcinoma of the esophagus. Both of these patients demonstrated high titers of serum antithyroid antibodies. A third patient with Hodgkin's disease did not manifest clinical symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism until 6 years after radiation therapy. These cases demonstrate the variability of onset of hypothyroidism after radiotherapy and emphasize the need for careful evaluation of thyroid function before and after neck irradiation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011830:Radiation Effects; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D014827:Vocal Cords; D014964:X-Ray Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*