RECENT ADVANCES in ENDOCRINOLOGY Oncocrinology Sanjay Kalra,1 Gagan Priya,2 Saptarshi Bhattacharya,3 Rakesh Sahay4
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757 RECENT ADVANCES IN ENDOCRINOLOGY Oncocrinology Sanjay Kalra,1 Gagan Priya,2 Saptarshi Bhattacharya,3 Rakesh Sahay4 Abstract Table-1: Domains of oncocrinology. Oncocrinology is the science which studies the complex Domain Examples bi-directional relationship between cancer and the endocrine system, including pathophysiological links, Common etiologies of cancer u Endocrine disruptor chemicals clinical presentation and the impact of cancer and endocrine disease u Genetic syndromes that increase the treatment and endocrine therapy. This review describes risk of both endocrinopathy and cancer the vast spectrum of the complex, multifacted u Obesity relationship between the endocrine system and Endocrine etiologies of cancer u Obesity malignancy. It also includes the endocrine aspects of u Diabetes – type 2 and pancreatic diabetes u anti-cancer treatment, and the need for oncovigilance Acromegaly u Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis with endocrine therapy. u Polycystic ovary syndrome Keywords: Cancer, Endocrine cancer, Endocrine Cancers of endocrine glands u Single glands u neoplasia, Endocrinology, Malignancy, Oncology, Multiple endocrine glands u Single glands with metastasis to other Oncovigilance. endocrine structures Introduction u Non-endocrine tumors with metastasis to endocrine glands The fields of oncology and endocrinology have much in Endocrine effect of cancers u Endocrine paraneoplastic syndromes common. Both are young specialties, and have u Direct effects experienced marked growth in recent years. A sudden Endocrine markers for diagnosis u Serum β-hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) and sustained rise in the prevalence of both cancer and /monitoring of cancer u AFP (alfa fetoprotein) endocrinopathy has stimulated interest in these u PSA (prostate specific antigen) subjects. This has led to enhanced understanding of the u Urinary and plasma metanephrines pathophysiology and natural history of disease. This, in and catecholamines u Growth hormone and IGF-1 turn, has encouraged development of newer modes of u Serum cortisol and ACTH (including screening, diagnosis, therapy and monitoring. suppression tests) Endocrinology and oncology overlap each other at u Serum thyroglobulin multiple points along this pathway. This review u Serum calcium, phosphorus, PTH, PTHrP describes the vast spectrum of this complex, bi- and FGF-23 directional relationship, under the umbrella term u Calcitonin ‘oncocrinology’. u Serum androgens (testosterone, DHEAS) Endocrine therapy for cancers u Medical Definition and Domains u Surgical Oncocrinology is the science which studies the complex Endocrine side effects of u Immune checkpoint inhibitors cancer therapy u Interferon alpha bi-directional relationship between cancer and the u Vinca alkaloids endocrine system, including pathophysiological links, u mTOR inhibitors clinical presentation and the impact of anticancer u Tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment on functioning of endocrine glands cancer u Metyrapone and mitotane treatment and endocrine therapy. The subject of u Radiation and gamma knife therapy oncocrinology includes several domains as discussed Neoplastic side effects of u Pioglitazone – risk of bladder cancer endocrine therapy u Risk of malignancy with insulin glargine (controversial) Department of Endocrinology, 1Bharti Hospital, Karnal, 2Fortis and Ivy u Risk of malignancy with growth hormone Hospitals, Mohali, 3Max Hospital, New Delhi, 4Osmania Medical College, therapy (controversial) Hyderabad, India. u Estrogen-progesterone therapy – risk of Correspondence: Sanjay Kalra. Email: [email protected] breast cancer J Pak Med Assoc Oncocrinology 758 below and summarized in Table-1. tumours; thyroid dysfunction in thyroid cancers; hypercortisolism, primary hyperaldosteronism or Common Etiology pheochromocytoma due to adrenal tumours; secondary Cancer and endocrine disease are multifactorial in diabetes related to pancreatic carcinoma; menstrual etiology. This is evident from research implicating disturbances in gynaecological malignancies; bad endocrine disruptor chemical in not only endocrinopathy, obstetric outcomes in gestational trophoblastic disease; but congenital anomalies and malignancy as well.1-3 and hirsutism, reproductive, sexual or urinary dysfunction Exposure to supraphysiological hormonal levels, in androgen-dependent tumours. (endocrine drugs) is also implicated in causation of certain hormone-dependent tumours, such as carcinoma Paraneoplastic endocrine syndromes are characterized by endometrium (unopposed estrogen), carcinoma breast, endocrine manifestations occurring at a site distant from and carcinoma prostate.4-6 In addition, diabetes mellitus the primary tumour or its metastasis, as summarized in and obesity are associated with increased risk of several Table-2. Common paraneoplastic syndromes include malignancies including breast, colorectal and pancreatic Cushing’s syndrome due to ectopic ACTH cancer.7,8 Chronic thyroiditis is associated with increased (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) secretion, SIADH risk of thyroid cancer.9 Individuals with acromegaly have a (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone significantly increased risk of colon polyps and cancer.10 secretion), oncogenic osteomalacia, and tumour-induced hypoglycaemia. Cancers of Endocrine Organs Cancer may affect any organ in the body, and endocrine At times, tumours present with, and are diagnosed by glands are no exception. Cancer can afflict any endocrine specific endocrine phenomena. These include gland, from pituitary to the gonads. Metastatic tumours prolactinoma, acromegaly or gigantism, Cushing’s may spread to involve endocrinologically active syndrome due to pituitary or adrenal tumour, parathyroid structures (such as the bone). Some malignancies, adenoma, aldosterone-secreting tumours, characterized by multi-glandular involvement, are termed pheochromocytoma, insulinoma, nesidioblastosis, as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN). Neuroendocrine glucagonoma, and carcinoid tumours. Carcinoid tumours tumours and carcinoid tumours are unique malignancies of the midgut are characterized by the occurrence of of the endocrine system and often manifest with carcinoid syndrome. It occurs primarily when extensive endocrine system hyperfunction which can be the hepatic metastases from midgut carcinoid circumvents presenting feature of the disease.11 the hepatic inactivation of bioactive amines secreted by the tumour. Foregut carcinoids and metastases into areas Endocrine Effects of Cancers not drained by portal circulation can also cause atypical Certain cancers are associated with endocrine carcinoid syndrome.12 dysfunction, either directly or indirectly. Direct effects Endocrine Diagnosis and Monitoring may include hypopituitarism, acromegaly, hypercortisolism or hyperthyroidism related to pituitary Some cancers can be detected by the use of endocrine Table-2: Common endocrine paraneoplastic syndromes. Manifestation Mechanism Tumor Hypercalcaemia Parathyroid hormone-related protein Squamous cell carcinomas (lung, head, and neck) or renal, bladder, breast, or ovarian carcinomas Osteolytic metastasis Multiple myeloma, breast cancer Increased production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian dysgerminoma Cushing’s syndrome Ectopic ACTH secretion Small cell lung cancer, carcinoid tumour, medullary thyroid carcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, pheochromocytoma, ganglioneuromas Ectopic CRH production Medullary thyroid carcinoma, paragangliomas, prostate cancer, islet cell neoplasms Precocious puberty, gynecomastia Human chorionic gonadotrophin secretion Choriocarcinomas, testicular embryonal carcinomas, seminomas, lung and pancreatic cancer, Hypoglycaemia Increased IGF-II production Mesenchymal tumours, fibromas, carcinoid, myelomas, lymphomas, hepatocellular, and colorectal carcinomas SIADH Increased ADH secretion Small cell cancer of lungs, head and neck cancer, olfactory neuroblastoma Tumour induced osteomalacia FGF 23 secretion Mesenchymal tumours (osteoblastomas, giant cell osteosarcomas, haemangiopericytomas, haemangiomas, nonossifying fibromas Vol. 70, No. 4, April 2020 759 S. Kalra, G. Priya, S. Bhattacharya, et al Table-3: Endocrine therapy of cancer. Endocrine Drug Indication Cabergoline or bromocriptine Prolactinoma Somatostatin analogues, e.g, octreotide, lanreotide or pasireotide Acromegaly, Cushing’s syndrome, intestinal neuroendocrine tumors Tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, eg, anastrazole, letrozole Carcinoma breast Thyroxine Postoperative suppression of TSH in thyroid cancer Medroxyprogesterone acetate Carcinoma endometrium GNRH analogues Carcinoma ovary, prostate Glucocorticoids Acute leukaemia, adjuvant to chemotherapy Metformin Adjuvant for carcinoma breast; primary prevention of carcinoma colon Surgical Gonadectomy? Table-4: Anticancer drug induced endocrine dysfunction. Endocrine Gland Disorder Medication Pituitary Hypophysitis Immune checkpoint inhibitors Interferon Alpha SIADH Vinca alkaloids: Vincristine, vinblastine, vinorelbine Platinum compounds: Cisplatin, carboplatin Alkylating compounds: Cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, melphalan Others: Methotrexate, interferon alpha and gamma Central hypothyroidism Bexarotene Hypopituitarism Radiation, Gamma knife Thyroid Primary Hypothyroidism Immune checkpoint inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, interferon alpha, interleukin 2, thalidomide analogues, radioiodine-based cancer therapy, radiation Thyroiditis Immune checkpoint inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, inteferon alpha, interleukin