Current trends in TSH suppression therapy for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma in Japan: results of a questionnaire distributed to councilors of the Japanese Society of Thyroid Surgery.

PURPOSE

To clarify the current trends in TSH suppression therapy for Japanese papillary carcinoma patents, a questionnaire survey was conducted among hospitals employing councilors of the Japanese Society of Thyroid Surgery.

METHODS

The questionnaire consisted of 11 clinical questions divided into two sections.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-two questionnaires were mailed, and 89 hospitals (51.7%) responded and were included in the analyses. Total thyroidectomy (38.4%) was less common compared with non-total thyroidectomy. TSH suppression therapy was performed in 72 hospitals (80.7%). In 30 hospitals (41.7%), all patients were treated with TSH suppression therapy. The patients with advanced disease (33.3%), at high risk (28.6%) and with total thyroidectomy (19.0%) were selected at the remaining 42 hospitals. The majority of responding hospitals did not have a standard policy regarding the serum level of TSH for each patient (70.0%). The common criterion for the adjustment of serum TSH was the risk classification (73.9%). The duration of TSH suppression therapy was not specified in most hospitals (75.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our survey demonstrated that TSH suppression therapy is a common adjuvant therapy, but that the criteria for adjustment, the indications for and the duration of this therapy have not been standardized in Japan.