Although many patients with cancer have benefited from new drug discoveries over the last decade, a common side effect of these newly developed therapies may be inadvertent effects on the thyroid gland, according to a report published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Ole-Petter R. Hamnvik of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and colleagues studied the scientific literature on recently developed anticancer therapies and thyroid dysfunction. They discovered that thyroid dysfunction occurred in approximately 20% to 50% of patients who received the newer therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapies such as ipilimumab.
The newer cancer therapies carry a common side effect, hypothyroidism, which causes symptoms including fatigue and constipation. However, these conditions are also common among patients with cancer. Therefore, it may be difficult to distinguish between the symptoms caused by the underlying malignancy or by the treatment medications. Thyroid dysfunction symptoms can also mimic other treatment-related toxic effects, thus leading physicians to unnecessarily reduce treatment dosages or frequency.
Researchers recommend doctors closely observe patients receiving newly developed treatments for signs of thyroid dysfunction. “This may allow early recognition and treatment of thyroid disease, allowing continued treatment of the underlying cancer, as well as improving the quality of life of the patient,” they said.
Source: NCI.