Radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Radioiodine (iodine 131) is an effective form of adjuvant therapy that is frequently underutilized. A review of our recent experience was undertaken to assess the role of this treatment modality in the routine management of thyroid carcinoma. Over a 2-year period, 29 patients received adjuvant iodine 131 therapy. Ten of these patients (35 percent) were found to have local or distant metastasis by iodine-131 scan, and 7 (24 percent) had a metastatic lesion not suspected by operative findings or chest radiography. A complete response was obtained in 70 percent of the patients with metastatic disease. This study supports more frequent use of adjuvant radioiodine therapy in the management of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.