Objective Thyroid storm is a severe exacerbation of thyrotoxicosis that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The emergence of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that originated in Wuhan, China has become a worldwide pandemic. We present the first documented case of thyroid storm (as defined by the Burch-Wartofsky criteria) in a patient positive for COVID-19. Methods Laboratory and diagnostic studies including thyroid function tests, thyroid antibody testing, SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal PCR testing, and thyroid ultrasound were performed. Results A 25-year-old female presented to the hospital with dry cough, dyspnea, palpitations, weight loss, diarrhea, and anxiety. Physical exam revealed exophthalmos with proptosis and chemosis, tachycardia, diffusely enlarged goiter with bruit, and fine tremor. Laboratory results demonstrated a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.01 mIU/L (normal range 0.44-5.3 mIU/L), free thyroxine (FT4) 5.34 ng/dL (normal range 0.64-1.42 ng/dL), total triiodothyronine (T3) 654 ng/dL (normal range 87-178 ng/dL), and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin 7.18 IU/L (normal range 0.00-0.55 IU/L). Thyroid ultrasound revealed heterogeneous echotexture with increased vascularity. Nasopharyngeal COVID-19 testing was positive. She was treated promptly with propranolol, propylthiouracil, and hydrocortisone with improvement in symptoms, and later switched to methimazole. Her COVID-19 course was uncomplicated, and she left the hospital with minimal residual respiratory symptoms. Conclusion Thyroid storm is one of the more prevalent endocrine emergencies and is often precipitated by an acute event like infection. Patients with thyroid storm may have concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection that could influence the clinical course and severity of the disease. In patients with symptoms of thyrotoxicosis along with respiratory symptoms, clinicians should consider checking a COVID-19 test.

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Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer with high recurrence rates and heterogeneous clinical behavior. The role of adjuvant therapy remains unclear because of the challenges in collecting high-quality data for a rare cancer. The current treatment recommendations and guidelines for adjuvant therapy are mostly derived retrospectively from national databases and the treatment outcomes of patients seen in referral centers. To better select patients for adjuvant therapy, multiple factors need to be considered including staging, markers of cellular proliferation (such as Ki67%), resection margins, hormonal function, and possibly genetic alterations of the tumor as well as patient-related factors such as age and performance status. Adjuvant mitotane remains the most commonly used adjuvant therapy in ACC based on clinical practice guidelines, though emerging data from ADIUVO trial (mitotane vs. observation in low-risk ACC) suggest that mitotane use in low-risk patients may not be needed. An ongoing clinical trial (ADIUVO-2) is evaluating the role of mitotane vs. mitotane combined with chemotherapy in high-risk ACC. The use of adjuvant therapy has been controversial but can be justified in select patients with positive resection margins or after the resection of localized recurrence. A prospective study is needed to study the role of adjuvant radiation in ACC as radiation is expected to help only with local control without impact on distant microscopic metastases. There are no recommendations or published data about using adjuvant immunotherapy in ACC, but this may be a future study after establishing the efficacy and safety profile of immunotherapy in metastatic ACC.

Introduction Metastatic pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (mPPGLs) are rare tumors with limited treatment options. High-specific-activity 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (HSA 131I-MIBG) is the only approved therapy for mPPGLs. We summarized the efficacy and safety profile of HSA 131I-MIBG in patients with mPPGL. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study in patients with mPPGL treated with HSA 131I-MIBG on label at a tertiary cancer center. The primary endpoint was radiographic treatment response determined with CT/MRI according to RECIST v1.1 and 123 I-MIBG scan. Secondary endpoints were blood pressure changes and HSA 131I-MIBG related adverse events. We correlated responses with the genetic background as an exploratory endpoint. Results Twenty-four patients were treated including 15 men (62%). Median age at the time of treatment was 44 years (range 18–82). Twenty-three patients had distant metastases and one patient had an unresectable primary tumor. Seventeen patients (70%) had hormonally active tumors and 17 patients (70%) were on antihypertensive medications before HSA 131I-MIBG therapy [7 patients on alpha-blockers only and 10 on combination antihypertensive therapy]. Thirteen patients (54%) previously received antineoplastic treatment. Eleven patients (46%) received one dose of HSA 131−I-MIBG, the remaining received two doses. Median duration of follow-up was 15 months (range 2–52). In 23 evaluable patients, radiographic responses included: 2 complete responses (CR), 10 partial responses (PR), 8 stable diseases (SD), 2 mixed responses (MR), and 1 progressive disease (PD) yielding disease control rate (DCR) of 87%. Median time to response was 12.5 months (95% CI, 4.6 to 25.1). Radiographic responses in patients with sporadic disease were [6/11 SD, 3/11 PR, 1/11 MR, 1/11 PR], while the response in patients with a genetic mutation (SDHB, VHL, RET) was [2/12 CR, 7/12 PR, 2/12 SD, 1/12 MR]. In 17 hormonally active tumors, plasma metanephrines normalized in 3(18%), improved by 50% in 5(29%), increased in 4(24%), 4 patients (24%) had no repeat levels and one had stable levels. Blood pressure was evaluable in 22 (92%) patients. Blood pressure normalized in 9 patients (41%) leading to discontinuation of antihypertensive therapy. One patient had an improvement in the blood pressure leading to a reduction of antihypertensive medications. The most common adverse events were grade I/II nausea/vomiting and transient bone marrow suppression. One patient developed premature ovarian failure. Grade III/IV myelosuppression was seen in 3/24 (12%) patients. One patient had fatal pneumonitis, and one patient developed fatal gastrointestinal bleeding a month after treatment with unclear attribution to HSA 131 −I-MIBG. Conclusions In mPPGL, HSA 131I-MIBG is associated with high DCR regardless of underlying genetic mutation. Severe adverse events are infrequent but can be fatal. Presentation: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.