Is 131I ablation necessary for patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma and slightly elevated stimulated thyroglobulin after thyroidectomy?

• Main Authors: Pedro Weslley Rosario, Gabriela Franco Mourão
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Series: Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Subjects: Thyroid cancer; low-risk; postoperative thyroglobulin; radioiodine; recurrence
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2359-39972016000100005&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Objective This prospective study evaluated the recurrence rate in low-risk patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) who presented slightly elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) after thyroidectomy and who did not undergo ablation with131I. Subjects and methods The study included 53 low-risk patients (nonaggressive histology; pT1b-3, cN0pNx, M0) with slightly elevated Tg after thyroidectomy (> 1 ng/mL, but ≤ 5 ng/mL after levothyroxine withdrawal or ≤ 2 ng/mL after recombinant human TSH). Results The time of follow-up ranged from 36 to 96 months. Lymph node metastases were detected in only one patient (1.9%). Fifty-two patients continued to present negative neck ultrasound. None of these patients without apparent disease presented an increase in Tg. Conclusions Low-risk patients with PTC who present slightly elevated Tg after thyroidectomy do not require ablation with 131I.