Radioactive Iodine Treatment For Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer treatment iodine - Almost always the treatment of thyroid cancer will come from an operation. The thyroid gland is completely removed. Only when there is a small tumor may there be a reason not to give further surgery and/or after treatment. Today, by chance, more and more small, probably low-growth tumors are discovered.

If it is decided for post-treatment, another radiation can be followed by radioactivity in iodine. Very often, external radiation (radiotherapy) is required.
Thyroid removal results in a thyroid hormone deficiency and lifelong replacement thyroid hormone must be used.

(For papillary and follicular carcinoma only)
The cells of these forms of thyroid cancer may include iodine. This allows them to be treated with radioactive iodine and any remaining cells may still be destroyed after surgery ( ablation ).
For a general control of the presence of thyroid cells, blood is tested on thyroglobulin (this is a protein that is specifically made by thyroid cells). Therefore, after a thyroid surgery, it can be used as a tumor marker which indicates that there are still thyroid cells. After radioactive iodine treatment, it may be indicative of sowing.

Thyrogen
Thyrogen is synthetically manufactured TSH. It may be administered to activate any thyroid gland tissue present, to produce thyroid globulin, and to include iodine. By administering this medicine, any sowing can be detected and treated better. Thyrogen has the same effect as stopping the taking of thyroid hormone, which causes the pituitary gland to create additional TSH. Depending on the patient's situation, a hydrogen injection or temporarily discontinuation of thyroid hormone is chosen.



Post-treatment with radioactive iodine

With radioactive iodine, any residual or sown cells may become thyroid tissue destroyed. The level of the radiation is small and harmless to the rest of the body. In the radioactive iodine treatment precautions are taken to optimally prepare the body for treatment.

Iodine poor diet
To ensure that the tumor cells optimally take on the radioactive iodine, an iodine-poor diet is prescribed in preparation.

Where to stay after radioactive iodine treatment? The treatment with radioactive iodine occurs during a single-day isolation in a specialized department. After the first day, the radioactive iodine that is not included in the cells will leave the body via the urine. After about 7 days, the radiation of the iodine that has been recorded is halved; after 14 days for 3/4 disappeared, etc. Based on the measured radiation, the patient may leave the special department after some days. The patient will then receive limited instruction regarding family relations. It should not touch or be near the (small) children, making this treatment quite stressful for patient and family.

The treatment consisted of iodine dissolved in water in the past and was therefore called the "siphon". Today, iodine is administered in a capsule.

*Image source : Stanford University

References :

1. National Cancer Institute
2. Schildklier Organisatie Nederland
3. American Cancer Society