Iodine-131 therapy is one of the most common treatments for thyroid cancer and has been used for over 70 years and is considered to be a safe treatment. For this treatment, the Radiation is used to get rid of any excess thyroid tissue after a thyroidectomy. It can also be used to destroy cancer cells that have metastasized from the thyroid gland to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes in the neck. If the thyroid is overactive, the Radiation reduces the activity of the thyroid to achieve a normal state.
Sources: Theranostics.com, Endocrinediseases.org
Approved treatments
- 131I-Sodium Iodide (thyroid cancer-nodular goiter-hyperthyroidism)
About thyroid cancer
- Thyroid Cancer – Patient Version – National Cancer Institute
- What is Thyroid Cancer – American Cancer Society
Clinical trials
*non-exhaustive list
Patient associations
Europe: Butterfly (GBR), British Thyroid Foundation (GBR)
Worldwide: Thyroid Cancer Alliance (TCA)
North America: American Thyroid Association (USA), ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (USA), Light of Life Foundation for Thyroid Cancer (USA), Thyroid Cancer Canada (CAN)
Oceania: Australian Thyroid Foundation (AUS)