Sjögren Syndrome after Radioiodine Therapy in Thyroid Cancer Patients

Abstract

Salivary and lacrimal gland dysfunction is relatively frequent after radioiodine therapy. In most cases this is a transient side effect, but in some patients it may persist for a long period or appear late. Radioiodine (¹³¹I) therapy is often administered to patients following total thyroidectomy to treat well-differentiated follicular cell-derived thyroid cancer. In addition to the thyroid, ¹³¹I accumulates in the salivary glands, giving rise to transient or permanent salivary gland damage. Salivary gland dysfunction following radioiodine therapy can be caused by radiation damage. But, it also may be associated with Sjögren syndrome (SS) developed after radioiodine therapy. It would be recommended that the evaluation for SS including anti-SSA/ Ro and anti-SSB/La should be considered before and after radioiodine therapy.