RADIOIODINE THERAPY OF PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER, COMPLICATED BY A RADIAL MYELITIS. CLINICAL CASE

Abstract

Over the past decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in most countries, and the most common form of thyroid cancer is papillary thyroid cancer. Application of radioiodine therapy for papillary thyroid cancer depends on the degree of postoperative risk of the disease recurrence. Radioactive iodine is recommended after radical thyroidectomy in case of intermediate or high risk of recurrence, that reduces the probability of disease progression and increases survival. The aim of radioiodine therapy is the ablation of thyroid tissue left after thyroidectomy and metastases, accumulating radioactive iodine. The recommended activity of the drug for radioablation is 30 mCi in the intermediate risk group and 30 to 150 mCi with a high risk of recurrence, but total doses and multiplicity of courses varies widely. The acute side effects of radioiodine therapy, the probability of which increases with a radioiodine dose of more than 100 mCi, include allergic reactions to iodine, post-radiation parotitis and sialadenitis, gastritis, cystitis, pulmonitis (with lung metastases), myelodepression, transient amenorrhea and hypo-spermia. The listed violations are transient and last from several days to several months. In the presented article the clinical case of papillary thyroid cancer with metastases in the lymph nodes of the neck was examined. The patient underwent thyroidectomy, central lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy. One year after the third course of radioiodine therapy the patient experienced the development of post-radiation gastritis, myelodepression and myelitis, manifested by a marked pain syndrome in the cervical spine and sensory and movement disorder of hands and legs. Pulse therapy with glucocorticoids in combination with drugs that improve microcirculation, neuromuscular conduction and reduce the severity of neuropathic disorders allowed to stop post-radiation complications.