title: Hypothyroidism after primary surgical treatment for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the incidence of hypothyroidism after treatment of laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer (LHC), and evaluated its relationship with treatment modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thyroid functions of 42 patients (41 males, 1 female; mean age 58 years; range 35 to 81 years) undergoing surgical treatment with (74%) or without adjuvant radiotherapy for LHC were prospectively evaluated preoperatively, on the 15th day, and in the sixth month postoperatively. The results were compared in relation to the treatment methods employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence of post-treatment hypothyroidism was 23.8%. Five patients had hypothyroidism in the early postoperative period, and this number increased to 10 after six months. All patients with hypothyroidism had undergone total laryngectomy with bilateral neck dissection, followed by radiotherapy. A significantly higher incidence of hypothyroidism was associated with total laryngectomy, bilateral neck dissection, level VI dissection, partial or bilateral thyroidectomy, adjuvant radiotherapy, and upper mediastinal radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of post-treatment hypothyroidism is not rare in LHC patients, requiring long-term monitoring of thyroid functions to prevent associated morbidities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine Faculty of Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem Kaya
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erişen
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Basut
authors.forename: Selçuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onart
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hizalan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000009:adverse effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology