[Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands after high dosage radiotherapy].
BACKGROUND
High-dose radioiodine therapy following total thyroidectomy is standard for patients suffering from differentiated thyroid carcinoma and contributes significantly to their favourable prognosis. Due to active iodine accumulation, high focal radiation doses are received by the salivary glands.
Report on two patients, who received multiple high-dose radioiodine treatments because of a differentiated metastatic thyroid carcinoma. A few years later, they developed a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands. Due to the high cumulative radiation dose, radiation-induced secondary malignancies following radiation-induced sialadenitis appears likely, although no causal connection could be proven.


CONCLUSIONS
Consistent protection of the salivary glands during radioiodine therapy as well as the follow-up of the many long-term survivors of differentiated thyroid carcinomas is desirable to further lower the salivary gland-related side effects and to detect secondary malignancies as early as possible.
Henze
M
M
Abteilung für Nuklearmedizin der Radiologischen Universitätsklinik Heidelberg. M.Henze@dkfz-heidelberg.de
Hittel
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012086:Reoperation; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*