Case Report: Primary Hypothyroidism Associated With Lutetium 177-DOTATATE Therapy for Metastatic Paraganglioma
Authors: Sriram Gubbi, Mohammad Al-Jundi, Jaydira Del Rivero, Abhishek Jha, Marianne Knue, Joy Zou, Baris Turkbey, Jorge Amilcar Carrasquillo, Emily Lin, Karel Pacak, Joanna Klubo-Gwiezdzinska, Frank I-Kai Lin
Journal: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) (2021)
Keywords: dotatate, lutathera, hypothyroidism, paraganglioma, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
MeSH terms: Hypothyroidism / chemically induced, Octreotide / analogs & derivatives, Organometallic Compounds / adverse effects, Paraganglioma / radiotherapy, Radiopharmaceuticals / adverse effects, Case Reports, Clinical Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural, Adult, Asymptomatic Diseases, Hashimoto Disease / complications, Hashimoto Disease / diagnosis, Humans, Hypothyroidism / diagnostic imaging, Hypothyroidism / drug therapy, Male, Neoplasm Metastasis / radiotherapy, Octreotide / adverse effects, Octreotide / metabolism, Organometallic Compounds / metabolism, Paraganglioma / complications, Paraganglioma / metabolism, Paraganglioma / pathology, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / methods, Radiopharmaceuticals / metabolism, Succinate Dehydrogenase / metabolism, Thyroid Gland / diagnostic imaging, Thyroid Gland / metabolism, Thyroid Gland / pathology, Thyroxine / therapeutic use, Treatment Outcome, Organometallic Compounds, Radiopharmaceuticals, gallium Ga 68 dotatate, lutetium Lu 177 dotatate, SDHB protein, human, Succinate Dehydrogenase, Thyroxine, Octreotide

Background:
Lutetium 177 (177Lu) - DOTATATE is a form of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) utilized in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors. Data on 177Lu-DOTATATE-induced thyroid dysfunction is limited.
Case description:
A 29-year-old male with SDHB positive metastatic paraganglioma enrolled under the 177Lu-DOTATATE trial (NCT03206060) underwent thyroid function test (TFT) evaluation comprised of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) immunoassay measurements per protocol prior to 177Lu-DOTATATE therapy. The TSH was suppressed [<0.01 µIU/ml (0.27-4.2 µIU/ml)], and FT4 was normal [1.3 ng/dl (0.9-1.7 ng/dl)]. The TSH receptor antibody and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin index were undetectable [<1 IU/L (≤1.75 IU/L), and <1 (≤1.3) respectively], while the anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) antibodies were elevated [605 IU/ml (0.0-34.9 IU/ml), and 178 IU/ml (0.0-40.0 IU/ml) respectively]. Mass spectrometry on a stored (-80°C) plasma sample obtained one-month pre-PRRT revealed elevated total triiodothyronine (TT3) [235 ng/dl (65-193 ng/dl)] and FT4 [3.9 ng/dl (1.2-2.9 ng/dl)] levels. The patient was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyrotoxicosis. However, the patient was asymptomatic. One month after the first dose of 200mCi 177Lu-DOTATATE, the patient noted fatigue and a 2.6 Kg weight gain. The TSH (73.04 µIU/ml), anti-TPO antibodies (>1,000 IU/ml), and anti-Tg antibodies (668 IU/ml) had substantially increased, with reductions in FT4 (0.3 ng/dl) and TT3 [54 ng/dl (87-169 ng/dl)]. Diagnostic gallium 68 - DOTATATE positron emission tomography-computed tomography performed prior to 177Lu-DOTATATE treatment revealed diffuse thyroid uptake. Post-therapy single-photon emission computed tomography also revealed diffuse uptake of 177Lu-DOTATATE in the thyroid gland. Levothyroxine therapy was initiated, and the patient's symptoms resolved.
Summary:
We report, for the first time, a patient with asymptomatic primary hyperthyroidism who rapidly developed symptomatic primary hypothyroidism 1 month after 177Lu-DOTATATE therapy, accompanied by marked changes in TFTs and thyroid auto-antibody titers, with functional imaging evidence of diffuse uptake of 177Lu-DOTATATE in the thyroid gland.
Conclusions:
Thyroid dysfunction can be associated with PRRT. Thyroid uptake patterns on pre-treatment diagnostic somatostatin analog scans might predict individual susceptibility to PRRT-associated TFT disruption. Therefore, periodic evaluation of TFTs should be considered in patients receiving PRRT.