Commonly known as "atom therapy," radioactive iodine therapy is performed under control after surgery for thyroid cancer. Its goal is to eliminate any remaining thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer cells in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and it is the only treatment option for this purpose.
Patients who will receive iodine therapy are determined immediately after surgery, and the radioactive iodine therapy can be applied about 3-4 weeks after the surgical operation. It is used in differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular carcinomas. The treatment is given to the entire patient group with tumor diameters over 1 cm, both for ablation (to eliminate any remaining thyroid tissue that cannot be surgically removed) and for treatment purposes. If the tumor diameter is less than 1 cm, total thyroidectomy surgery may be sufficient; however, radioactive iodine therapy is applied if metastasis is detected, if there is capsular invasion, if radiation was previously received, especially to the neck area, or if the cell type is malignant.
The treatment is applied by increasing the TSH hormone level to enhance the uptake of iodine-131 into the remaining thyroid and tumor cells, thereby increasing the treatment's effectiveness. The therapy can generally be applied 3-4 weeks after the operation. To prevent the patient from staying in hypothyroidism for an extended period, a plan should be made after treatment to improve the patient's comfort. A diet low in iodine for 10-15 days prior to treatment significantly increases the success of the therapy. The preparation stages should be planned by the nuclear medicine doctor in a way suitable for the patient and discussed in detail with the patient.
On the morning of the iodine treatment, the patient arrives at the hospital with approximately 6 hours of fasting. Necessary blood tests are performed, and the patient is taken to the radioactive treatment room (lead-lined). The radioactive substance is administered to the patient in capsule form. Depending on the dose of the medication, the patient stays in this room for an average of 3-5 days.
The radioactive iodine capsule given during treatment has no bad taste or odor, and the patient does not feel anything during the treatment. Hair loss, seen in other chemotherapy methods, is not observed in this treatment, and gastrointestinal side effects are very rare. To prevent damage to the salivary glands, certain methods are recommended to the patient. Additionally, drinking plenty of water and taking daily showers helps eliminate the radiation emitted through bodily fluids, facilitating the removal of radiation from the body. During treatment, visitors are not allowed, and the patient’s needs are provided under the supervision of healthcare personnel.
Commonly known as "atom therapy," radioactive iodine therapy is performed following surgery for thyroid cancer. Its goal is to eliminate any remaining thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer cells in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and it is the only treatment option for this purpose. The treatment helps to remove any remaining tissue in the thyroid bed after surgery, making follow-up easier. It also reduces the recurrence of the disease and extends survival by detecting and treating hidden metastases. Studies have proven that with proper surgical operation and appropriate patient selection, radioactive iodine therapy completely eliminates the disease in more than 95% of patients.
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