RADIOIODINE TREATMENT OF THYROID CANCER; RESULTS OF 88 CASES

  • Published : 1985.05.20

Abstract

The results of radioiodine treatment of 88 patients are reported. As in the case presented above, careful follow-up with continuous administration of adequate amount of thyroid hormone is very important. To check whether recurrent lesions have appeared or not, scintigrams with test dose of $I^{131}$, usually 1 to 10 mCi, are taken in general. However, it is important that there is a fact that administration of much larger dose (30 to 100 mCi) of $I^{131}$ may result in presenting additional lesions on the scintigrams. Recently, clinical usefulness of serum thyroglobulin determination has been mentioned in literatures from the standpoint of follow-up study of patients after radioiodine treatment. Although this technique seems to be valuable, we have to be aware of the possibility of fluctuation of data which may occur in connection with administration of thyroid hormone. Finally, I would like to say that radioiodine treatment is an effective method for thyroid cancer if patients are adequately selected. However, radioiodine treatment itself is sometimes not enough from the standpoint of radiation dose to the lesions. In such cases, we should not hesitate to consider combination therapy with other modalities. Therefore, in order to overcome this undesirable disease, cooperation between nuclear medicine specialists and other oncologists, such as radiotherapists, is necessary.

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