Alteration of Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Thyroid Axis Function in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis function in patients suffering from lung cancer. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), interleukin (IL)-2, and melatonin serum levels were measured in blood samples collected every 4 hours for 24 hours from 11 healthy participants (H; ages 35-53 years) and 9 patients suffering from non-small-cell lung cancer (C; ages 43-63 years). Relationships between hormone levels overall and over time of day were evaluated within and among groups. A prominent circadian rhythm with peaks near midnight was present for TSH and melatonin serum levels in both H and C, indicating similar synchronization of the main body clock to the 24-hour environmental light–dark cycle. As regards 24-hour means in H and C, TSH was lower in C, whereas TRH, FT4, and IL-2 were higher in C, with no difference in melatonin levels. Simple linear regression, FT4 versus TRH, showed a positive correlation in H and a negative correlation in C, whereas FT4 versus TSH showed a negative correlation in both groups. For FT4 versus IL-2, a negative correlation was found in C but not for H, whereas TSH versus TRH showed no correlation for either group. Both groups were found to be similarly synchronized to the 24-hour sleep–wake schedule, but HPT axis function was altered in patients suffering from lung cancer. When compared with healthy controls, cancer patients showed modifications of hormone serum levels overall and a negative correlation between individual TRH and FT4 levels.