131I for differentiated thyroid cancer

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing year by year, especially in women. Primary thyroid cancer can be divided into papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma and thyroid lymphoma according to pathological types, among which papillary carcinoma and follicular carcinoma are differentiated carcinomas. Gao Yongju, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital Papillary carcinoma is better differentiated, accounting for about 60%-80% of thyroid carcinoma, and is generally dominated by lymph node and double lung metastases. Follicular carcinoma is slightly more malignant than papillary carcinoma, accounting for about 10%-15%, and is generally dominated by local infiltration and hematogenous distant metastasis. Differentiated thyroid cancer generally has a longer course and metastases are mainly in lymph nodes, both lungs and bones. Lung metastasis is characterized by diffuse and multiple small nodules. Metastases of differentiated thyroid cancer are insensitive to chemotherapy and conventional radiotherapy. To address this situation, we recommend a three-in-one treatment for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer: surgery + 131I therapy + oral thyroid hormone suppression therapy. Surgery has been widely used in clinical practice, and 131I therapy has become a necessary part, which has its own advantages: firstly, 131I is a radionuclide, 99% of its decaying rays are beta lines with an average range of about 5mm, which can be targeted into the body and irradiate the lesion intensively, producing enough ionizing radiation biologically to destroy the lesion, while the adjacent normal tissues and the whole body have a low radiation absorption dose. Secondly, most metastases of differentiated thyroid cancer have thyroid characteristics and have specific 131I uptake function, so that 131I can gather in the lesion and produce targeted nuclear radiation to kill the metastases; Thirdly, there are γ-rays in 131I decay rays, and γ-rays can be used to perform SPECT imaging, so that the whole-body SPECT imaging can be used to detect the distribution of 131I in the body. Fourth, 131I has been used clinically for more than half a century, and no serious side effects have been reported in patients treated with standardized therapy. The recurrence and metastasis rates of differentiated thyroid cancer have been significantly reduced after standardized (surgery + 131I therapy + oral thyroid hormone suppression therapy) treatment. Especially, the application of 131I has brought a boon to the treatment of metastasis after surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer.    Our department has a nuclear medicine treatment ward with 17 specially protected beds, which is equipped with bathroom, shower room, TV and wireless internet. It provides a better treatment environment for patients.