Low dose of radioactive iodine is safe for Thyroid cancer, study
Posted on: 02/Oct/2014 5:11:56 PM
Treating Thyroid cancer requires surgery followed by the use of radioactive iodine treatment which helps killing cancer cells which are left behind. Doctors say radioactive iodine has its own risk factors with it. According to new reports, intake of low dose of radioactive iodine is helpful in getting rid of cancer cells upon completion of surgical procedures.
Doctors nowadays follow the recommendations published in American Thyroid Association Guidelines 2014. According to this, it is safe and secured way of treatment and it helps avoid repeated hospitalization of patients. It also minimizes the possible side effects of radioactive iodine.
The new recommendation by study results state low dose of radioactive iodine of the range 30 millicurie is useful to treat thyroid cancer rather than using high dose of 100 to 150 millicurie which is used in convention. According to city doctors, the minimal dosage will bring about standardization of treatment.
In case of high dose, patients will have to remain in an isolation ward for few days. This is eliminated in case of low dosage. Patients can get back to their home without any risk to their family members.
Speaking to Dr Shelley Simson, consultant of nuclear medicine, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, in case of administering high dose radioactive iodine, the adverse effect is very high. The possible side effects of this treatment include tenderness in neck, swelling, vomiting, nausea, tendernesss in salivary glands, and so on. On undergoing this treatment, women will have to postpone conception for minimum six months.
It is said thyroid cancer stands on the eighth place in the list of cancers suffered by females. Compared to males, females are three times more prone to thyroid.
