Risk for secondary thyroid carcinoma after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation: an EBMT Late Effects Working Party Study.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) on thyroid carcinogenesis needs to be determined in a large population. This study evaluates the incidence and the risk factors contributing to secondary thyroid carcinoma (STC) in patients who receive transplantation.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective investigational study, comparing data obtained by means of a two-step questionnaire from the 166 centers who replied, and data reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) registry on their transplantation activity. During the follow-up period (1985 to 2003), 32 instances of STC were found within the EBMT cohort of 68,936 patients who received transplants. These patients were then compared with age- and sex-specific incidence rates in the European population and risk factors for STC were analyzed.


RESULTS
The standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of STC in the population who underwent transplantation was 3.26, in comparison with the European population. Multivariate analysis revealed that young age at transplantation was the strongest risk factor for STC (relative risk [RR], 24.61 for age 0 to 10 years; RR, 4.80 for age 11 to 20). Other risk factors were irradiation (RR, 3.44), female sex (RR, 2.79), and chronic graft-versus-host disease (RR, 2.94). Nine patients showed no clinical signs of thyroid illness at diagnosis. Total thyroidectomy and iodine ablation was the standard treatment for the majority of patients, and only one patient died due to STC progression.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term survivors of HSCT are at risk for STCs. These results should promote efforts in screening for early detection and treatment guidelines of secondary thyroid cancer after HSCT, especially in patients who receive transplants during childhood and adolescence.
Cohen
Amnon
A
Department of Pediatrics, University of Genova, Polo del Ponente, San Paolo Hospital, Savona, Italy. a.cohen@asl2.liguria.it
Rovelli
Attilio
A
Merlo
Domenico Franco
DF
van Lint
Maria Teresa
MT
Lanino
Edoardo
E
Bresters
Dorine
D
Ceppi
Marcello
M
Bocchini
Vittorio
V
Tichelli
André
A
Socié
Gerard
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods