Thyroid gland definitive ultrasound screening in childhood cancer survivors following radiotherapy.

Authors

Julia Baran

Julia A. Baran

Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Thyroid Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Julia A. Baran , Stephen Halada , Andrew J. Bauer , Yimei Li , Amber Isaza , Tasleema Patel , Lindsay Sisko , Jill P. Ginsberg , Ken Kazahaya , N. Scott Adzick , Sogol Mostoufi-Moab

Organizations

Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Thyroid Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Division of Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Research Funding

Other

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk for radiotherapy (RT) late effects, including second malignancies. Optimal screening for thyroid cancer (TC) in CCS post-RT remains controversial. We assessed the clinical benefit of thyroid ultrasound (US) surveillance in CCS exposed to RT. Methods: 316 CCS (175 males) were prospectively surveilled with thyroid US between 2002 and 2021 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Patients were screened upon referral to the Survivorship Program. Thyroid US, clinicopathologic features, and endocrine-related outcomes were ascertained. Outcomes were compared using primary CCS diagnosis age cohorts of ≤ 3, > 3 to ≤ 10, and > 10 years. Risk factors for thyroid nodule(s) and TC were evaluated using Kruskal Wallis and ANOVA [OR (95% CI)]. Results: The most common CCS diagnoses were leukemia (32%), CNS tumor (26%), and neuroblastoma (18%). Patients received TBI (43%) and/or RT to craniospinal (43%), chest (13%), and neck regions (7%). About 48% (n = 152) of patients presented thyroid nodule(s) (Table). Forty-six patients underwent surgery, and 28 had TC, including 19 with ATA low-risk, 2 with ATA intermediate-risk, and 7 with ATA high-risk disease. Of the 9 patients with intermediate- or high-risk disease, 5 were ≤ 3 years, 3 were > 3 to ≤ 10 years, and 1 was > 10 years at the time of RT exposure. Eight patients with TC demonstrated pathogenic variant(s). RT exposure at ≤ 3 years old conferred 2-fold increased risk for nodule(s) compared to RT at > 10 years [OR = 2.14 (1.44-2.84) p = 0.03]. Female sex [OR = 1.73 (1.25-2.21) p = 0.02] and greater interval between RT and first US [OR = 1.10 (1.04-1.15) p = 0.001] were additional independent risk factors. Conclusions: Younger age at RT exposure is associated with increased risk of and shorter latency for developing TC. Thyroid US surveillance appears most beneficial in CCS exposed to RT ≤ 3 years old in an effort to diagnose TC at an earlier stage prior to metastasis.

Age at CCS Diagnosis (yrs)
≤ 3
> 3 to ≤ 10
> 10


N = 97
N = 155
N = 64
p-value
Interval from CCS Diagnosis to First US (yrs), Median (IQR)
12.0 (8.3-14.9)
9.0 (6.5-12.4)
7.3 (5.4-10.2)
< 0.001
Patients Presenting Nodule(s) on US, N (%)
62 (64)
66 (43)
24 (38)
< 0.001
Age at Initial Presentation of Nodule(s) on US (yrs), Median (IQR)
15.8 (14.2-18.5)
17.7 (14.9-20.1)
22.2 (21.0-24.3)
< 0.001
Interval from CCS Diagnosis to Initial Presentation of Nodule(s) on US (yrs), Mean ± SD
14.2 ± 3.7
11.9 ± 4.0
9.1 ± 4.6
< 0.001

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Pediatric Oncology

Track

Pediatric Oncology

Sub Track

Survivorship

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr 10049)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.10049

Abstract #

10049

Poster Bd #

263

Abstract Disclosures