Paraplegic Patient with Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Radioactive Iodine Therapy Safety and Efficacy Strategy.

High-activity radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy for metastatic thyroid cancer (TC) requires isolation to minimize radiation exposure to third parties, thus posing challenges for patients needing hands-on care. There are limited data on the approach to high-activity RAI treatment in paraplegic patients. We report a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary approach to the management of bedbound patients, covering necessary radiation safety measures that lead to radiation exposure levels as low as reasonably achievable. Given the limited literature resources on standardized approaches, we provide a practical example of the safe and successful treatment of a woman with BRAFV600E-mutant tall-cell-variant papillary TC and pulmonary metastases, who underwent dabrafenib redifferentiation before RAI therapy. The patient was 69 y old and had become paraplegic because of a motor-vehicle accident. Since caring for a paraplegic patient with neurogenic bowel and bladder dysfunction poses radiation safety challenges, a multidisciplinary team comprising endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians, radiation safety specialists, and the nursing department developed a radiation mitigation strategy to ensure patient and staff safety during RAI therapy. The proposed standardized approach includes thorough monitoring of radiation levels in the workplace, providing additional protective equipment for workers who handle radioactive materials or are in direct patient contact, and implementing strict guidelines for safely disposing of radioactive waste such as urine collected in lead-lined containers. This approach requires enhanced training, role preparation, and practice; use of physical therapy equipment to increase the exposure distance; and estimation of the safe exposure time for caregivers based on dosimetry. The effective and safe treatment of metastatic TC in paraplegic patients can be successfully implemented with a comprehensive radiation mitigation strategy and thorough surveying of personnel for contamination.

Opportunities, challenges, and future directions for simulation modeling the effects of structural racism on cancer mortality in the United States: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Structural racism could contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in cancer mortality via its broad effects on housing, economic opportunities, and health care. However, there has been limited focus on incorporating structural racism into simulation models designed to identify practice and policy strategies to support health equity. We reviewed studies evaluating structural racism and cancer mortality disparities to highlight opportunities, challenges, and future directions to capture this broad concept in simulation modeling research. METHODS: We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Review Extension guidelines. Articles published between 2018 and 2023 were searched including terms related to race, ethnicity, cancer-specific and all-cause mortality, and structural racism. We included studies evaluating the effects of structural racism on racial and ethnic disparities in cancer mortality in the United States. RESULTS: A total of 8345 articles were identified, and 183 articles were included. Studies used different measures, data sources, and methods. For example, in 20 studies, racial residential segregation, one component of structural racism, was measured by indices of dissimilarity, concentration at the extremes, redlining, or isolation. Data sources included cancer registries, claims, or institutional data linked to area-level metrics from the US census or historical mortgage data. Segregation was associated with worse survival. Nine studies were location specific, and the segregation measures were developed for Black, Hispanic, and White residents. CONCLUSIONS: A range of measures and data sources are available to capture the effects of structural racism. We provide a set of recommendations for best practices for modelers to consider when incorporating the effects of structural racism into simulation models.