An updated systematic review and commentary examining the effectiveness of radioactive iodine remnant ablation in well-differentiated thyroid cancer

Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2008 Jun;37(2):457-80, x. doi: 10.1016/j.ecl.2008.02.007.

Abstract

Radioactive iodine remnant ablation (RRA) is used to destroy residual normal thyroid tissue after complete gross surgical resection of papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. The article updates a prior systematic review of the literature to determine whether RRA decreases the risk of thyroid cancer-related death or recurrence at 10 years after initial surgery, including data from 28 studies. No long-term randomized trials were identified, so the review is limited to observational studies. The incremental benefit of RRA in low risk patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer after total or near-total thyroidectomy who are receiving thyroid hormone suppressive therapy remains unclear.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / radiotherapy*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / radiotherapy*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / surgery
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Iodine Radioisotopes / therapeutic use*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / prevention & control*
  • Neoplasm, Residual
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / surgery
  • Thyroidectomy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Iodine Radioisotopes