© 2002 The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Prognosis for fertility and ovarian function after treatment with radioiodine for thyroid cancer
Thyroid Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Sutton, Surrey, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S L Hyer, Department of Endocrinology, St Helier Hospital, Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 1AA, UK;
Shyer{at}sthelier.sghms.ac.uk
The aim of this study was to review the outcome of ablative radioiodine treatment on ovarian function in young women treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Of 1398 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, 496 were women under the age of 40 at the time of diagnosis who had received radioiodine therapy. Of these, 322 received a single 3 GBq ablation dose of radioiodine while the remainder received subsequent treatment with 131I with a cumulative activity of 8.559 GBq for residual, recurrent, or metastatic disease. Transient amenorrhoea or menstrual irregularities lasting up to 10 months were experienced in 83 patients (17%). No cases of permanent ovarian failure were recorded. There were 427 children born to 276 women; only one patient wishing to achieve a successful pregnancy outcome has been unsuccessful. Four premature births and 14 miscarriages occurred but no congenital abnormalities were reported. The risk of permanent damage to the ovaries after ablative radioiodine treatment appears to be low and patients can be reassured they can have normal pregnancies after this treatment.
Keywords: thyroid cancer; radioiodine; fertility
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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Jarzab, B, Handkiewicz-Junak, D, Wloch, J
(2005). Juvenile differentiated thyroid carcinoma and the role of radioiodine in its treatment: a qualitative review. Endocr Relat Cancer
12: 773-803
[Abstract] [Full Text]
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