Characterization of salivary gland side effects secondary to 131I therapy: A preliminary report of the ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. national survey

1759 Objectives Sialoadenitis is an important side effect of 131I therapy (tx) for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), but the reported frequency, time of onset, duration, and severity of sialoadenitis are variable. The objective of this study was to determine the above for sialoadenitis secondary to 131I tx in a nationwide survey. Methods The survey was available on the ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.’s (ThyCa) website, and a notice of the survey was e-mailed to 15,000+ associates of the ThyCa. Patients (pts) who had tx in United States/territories were surveyed for salivary gland pain/swelling/xerostomia during the first 7 days after the pts last 131I tx for frequency (F), day of onset (DoO), duration >24 hrs (Du) and severity of grade >5 on a scale of 0-10 (S). Pts with a history of salivary gland disease and/or drugs potentially affecting salivary gland pain/swelling/xerostomia prior to 131I tx were excluded. Results Of 742 pts responding, 640 pts met the above criteria, and the data for salivary pain/salivary/xerostomia are as follows. PAIN: F=221/547(40%), DoO=93/189(49%) on Day 1, Du=142/179(79%), S=109/216(51%). Anti-inflammatory and/or analgesic medications for pain were taken by 94/197 (48%) of pts. SWELLING: F=186/498(37%), DoO=80/167(48%) on Day 1, Du =140/166(84%), S=123/184(67%). XEROSTOMIA: F=232/483(48%), DoO= 74/187(40%) on Day 1, Du=167/181(92%), and S=156/231(68%). No relationship was demonstrated between salivary outcomes and age, gender, level of education, number of txs, total prescribed activity, prescribed activity for last tx, or level of anxiety of radiation tx. Conclusions Salivary pain/swelling/xerostomia in a large nationwide survey was frequent, typically started 1 day after 131I tx, and lasted > 24hrs with a severity frequently warranting medications