High thyroglobulin and negative whole-body scan: no long-term benefit of empiric radioiodine therapy

• Published in: Endocrine Vol. 73; no. 2; pp. 398 - 406
• Main Authors: Tramontin, Mariana Yoshii, Nobre, Gabriela Maia, Lopes, Marcia, Carneiro, Michel Pontes, Alves, Paulo Alonso Garcia, de Andrade, Fernanda Accioly, Vaisman, Fernanda, Corbo, Rossana, Bulzico, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Diabetes; Endocrinology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Internal Medicine; Iodine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; multidisciplinary; Original Article; Patients; Science; Survival; Thyroglobulin; Thyroid cancer; Whole-body scan; Thyroid cancer; Iodine-131; Radioiodine therapy; Differentiated thyroid cancer
• ISSN: 1355-008X; 1559-0100
• DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02647-8

Purpose Around 10–27% of patients will present elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and negative diagnostic whole-body scan (dxWBS) during differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) follow-up. Empiric radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy in this context is controversial due to the lack of good quality studies in the context. The main purpose of this study is to compare long-term response to therapy status and overall survival between empiric RAI treated and untreated DTC patients. Methods A retrospective study comparing differentiated thyroid cancer patients with negative diagnostic whole-body scan and elevated thyroglobulin levels submitted or not to empiric radioactive iodine therapy in a thyroid cancer referral center. The main outcome measures were ATA Response to Therapy Stratification at 6–12 months after RAI ablative dose, at 6–18 months after negative dxWBS and last follow-up visits. Results Overall, 120 DTC patients with stimulated Tg >10 ng/ml and negative dxWBS were included in this study. Overall, 53 patients were submitted to empiric RAI and 67 were in the control group. No difference was observed in ATA Response to Therapy Stratification after RAI ablation or at the end of follow-up between groups. Also, no difference was found in terms of Tg changes response. After more than 10 years of follow-up, 17 patients died (13 from treated and 4 from untreated group). Conclusions Empiric RAI treatment was not associated with better long-term ATA response to therapy status or overall survival.