Early View e14211
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Long-term Longitudinal Observation of Lenvatinib-associated Adverse Events in Patients With Unresectable Radioiodine-refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Yuka Aida

Corresponding Author

Yuka Aida

Department of Medical Oncology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan

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Toshio Suzuki

Toshio Suzuki

Department of Medical Oncology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan

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Yusuke Watanabe

Yusuke Watanabe

Department of Pharmacy, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan

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Sachie Hashimoto

Sachie Hashimoto

Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

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Emika Ichioka

Emika Ichioka

Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

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Akiko Iguchi-Manaka

Akiko Iguchi-Manaka

Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

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Joichi Usui

Joichi Usui

Department of Nephrology, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

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Masato Homma

Masato Homma

Department of Pharmacy, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan

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Hisato Hara

Hisato Hara

Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

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Ikuo Sekine

Ikuo Sekine

Department of Medical Oncology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan

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First published: 30 June 2025

ABSTRACT

Aim

To characterize the long-term adverse events (AEs) observed in patients who received lenvatinib.

Methods

We longitudinally assessed long-term AEs in patients with advanced or metastatic radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer who had received lenvatinib for more than 1 year. AEs were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for AEs. Grade 2 AEs were defined as intolerable if a patient complained of distress.

Results

Seventeen patients were treated for more than 1 year. The median age was 69 years. The median duration of lenvatinib treatment was 40 months. Notable intolerable grade 2 and 3 AEs were developed in the following order: hypertension (median day 18; range, day 1–131), diarrhea (median, day 27; range, day 4–1205), hand-foot skin reaction (median, day 33; range, day 20–582), platelet decrease (median, day 57; range, day 15–427), proteinuria (median, day 72; range, day 18–1772), anorexia (median, day 319; range, day 57–1541), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (median, day 715; range, day 274–1296). After 2 years of administration, the decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate became remarkable. Grade 3 hypertension occurred in 94.1% (16/17) of patients, of whom 66.8% (11/16) developed intolerable grade 2 proteinuria at a median interval of 35 days. Of these patients, 54.5% (6/11) developed intolerable grade 2 CKD at a median interval of 245 days.

Conclusions

This longitudinal study revealed which AEs appeared and when. The findings provide useful information about when and which AEs we should be attentive to during daily practice.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supporting Information.

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