[Hypothyroidism after combined therapy of laryngeal cancer]

The hormonal function of the thyroid gland in patients with laryngeal cancer, treated with combined method, has been discussed. The first group of them was having one of the thyroid lobes used for reconstruction of the structural defects following partial laryngectomy, the second one, for oncologic reasons--part or the whole gland--excised. Hormonal dysfunction of the thyroid gland was present in 7/10 of the treated patient. In 2 of them the full hypofunction (FH) of the thyroid gland could be observed. Most likely the hypothyreosis was the result of the surgical interference in the thyroid gland (disorders in blood supply in translocated for larynx repair thyroid lobe, excision of the lobe/s for oncological reasons) and degenerative process due to the external irradiation. The monitored hormonal function of the thyroid gland revealed the possibility of transformation of subclinical hypofunction (SH) into FH even after long period of therapy termination. The obligatory monitoring of the thyroid gland hormonal activity for many years has been stressed, as well as the necessity of supplementary therapy at the time of SH.