Clinical trial · Interventional
TSH Suppression During Radiotherapy on Thyroid Site to Prevent Iatrogenic Hypothyroidism in Pediatric Cancer Patients
Protection From Iatrogenic Hypothyroidism Patients With MBL and Pediatric Patients With HL and Non-HL Needing Radiotherapy on Thyroid Site
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
To offer the possibility of a treatment that could achieve a meaningful reduction in the incidence of post-radiation therapy hypothyroidism. Thyroid dysfunction may develop from a few months to several years after patients have completed their radiation treatment. In children with chronic diseases, or given lengthy anti-neoplastic treatments, recurrent or persistent endocrine disorders may have a negative effect on growth and development into adulthood.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypothyroidism; Irradiation | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levothyroxine | Drug | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- TSH suppression during irradiation
- description
- From 14 days beforehand and throughout their RT, patients in the experimental arm will receive L-thyroxine in the morning, starting with 1-2 μg/kg, and adjusting the dose every 3 days to ensure TSH \< 0.3 μIU/mL before RT beginning. The 0.3 μIU/mL threshold is just below normal range not causing hyperthyroidism, and is defined as "mild" TSH suppression. Based on hormone status, L-thyroxine doses will be gradually increased to patients' individual minimum TSH-suppressive dose before starting RT, maintained throughout the treatment, then rapidly tapered off and stopped. During radiation treatment course will be checked twice a week for serum FT3, FT4, TSH assays in order to maintain TSH \< 0.3 μIU/mL, possibly without exceeding normal levels of FT3 and FT4. Once a week patients will also have a full visit and any other blood examination according to protocol in use and Institutional practice.
- interventionNames
- Drug: Levothyroxine
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Any TSH suppression during irradiation
- description
- Patient in the standard arm will perform radiotherapy treatment without any TSH suppression. At the end of radiation they will do serum FT3, FT4, TSH assay and then, after one year from RT, thyroid ultrasound + serum FT3, FT4, TSH assay.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Any patient with medulloblastoma, Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin Lymphoma before radiotherapy (RT) planning including thyroid parenchyma without previous primary or secondary hypothyroidism; 2. Written informed consent prior to any study-specific analysis and/or data collection. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any patient with medulloblastoma, Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin Lymphoma after radiotherapy including thyroid parenchyma; 2. Not signed consent.
References
Publications (7)
- BACKGROUNDPrpic M, Kruljac I, Kust D, Suton P, Purgar N, Bilos LK, Gregov M, Mrcela I, Franceschi M, Djakovic N, Frobe A. Dose-volume derived nomogram as a reliable predictor of radiotherapy-induced hypothyroidism in head and neck cancer patients. Radiol Oncol. 2019 Nov 20;53(4):488-496. doi: 10.2478/raon-2019-0055. PMID 31747379
- BACKGROUNDAlba JR, Basterra J, Ferrer JC, Santonja F, Zapater E. Hypothyroidism in patients treated with radiotherapy for head and neck carcinoma: standardised long-term follow-up study. J Laryngol Otol. 2016 May;130(5):478-81. doi: 10.1017/S0022215116000967. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PMID 26975210
- BACKGROUNDMassimino M, Gandola L, Collini P, Seregni E, Marchiano A, Serra A, Pignoli E, Spreafico F, Pallotti F, Terenziani M, Biassoni V, Bombardieri E, Fossati-Bellani F. Thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression for protection against hypothyroidism due to craniospinal irradiation for childhood medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2007 Oct 1;69(2):404-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.03.028. Epub 2007 Jul 2. PMID 17601681
- BACKGROUNDMassimino M, Gandola L, Pignoli E, Seregni E, Marchiano A, Pecori E, Catania S, Cefalo G. TSH suppression as a possible means of protection against hypothyroidism after irradiation for childhood Hodgkins lymphoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2011 Jul 15;57(1):166-8. doi: 10.1002/pbc.22915. Epub 2011 Feb 9. PMID 21557462
- BACKGROUNDMassimino M, Podda M, Gandola L, Pignoli E, Seregni E, Morosi C, Spreafico F, Ferrari A, Pecori E, Terenziani M. Long-term results of suppressing thyroid-stimulating hormone during radiotherapy to prevent primary hypothyroidism in medulloblastoma/PNET and Hodgkin lymphoma: a prospective cohort study. Front Med. 2021 Feb;15(1):101-107. doi: 10.1007/s11684-020-0752-2. Epub 2020 Aug 13. PMID 32794013
- BACKGROUNDGroover TA, Christie AC, Merritt EA, Coe FO, McPeak EM. Roentgen irradiation in the treatment of hyperthyroidism: a statistical evaluation based on three hundred and five cases. JAMA 1929; 92:1730-1734.