Do you routinely screen for pituitary dysfunction after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal cancer?
Studies have shown increased rate of endocrine dysfunction in these patients:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26011172
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146793/
What tests and time frame do you use or is it more appropriate to refer to endocrinology?
3 Answers
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Radiation Oncology · Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Answered on
I don’t, only if symptoms
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Radiation Oncology · University Hospital Basel
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The articles you are quoting include patient series that were treated decades ago.
Nowadays we have a) a better knowledge of what dose is delivered in the pituitary gland b) a better knowledge of the dose-effect relationship to the pituitary function c) better ways to spare out organs at risk.
Depen...
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Radiation Oncology · Mount Sinai Medical Center
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I don't routinely screen, but I have sent some patients (especially if younger) to an Endocrinologist for an evaluation. I agree with @Dr. First Last and typically only recommend this for patients with larger tumors infiltrating the skull base near the pituitary.
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