Metastatic Differentiated Carcinoma of the Thyroid and Radioiodine

ABSTRACTBetween 1966 and 1984, 15 patients with differentiated distant metastatic thyroid carcinoma were studied and treated with radioiodine. All patients had a partial or total thyroidectomy followed by thyroid ablative radioiodine. Thirteen patients were also treated for their metastases by further radioiodine.Metastases were clinically present initially in seven patients and were detectable in four patients within the first year, two patients in the second year, and the last patient after 11 years.Eight patients died of metastatic disease during the one to 23 year follow up; all within four years of developing metastases. Six patients are still alive, one with predominantly recurrent bony disease still receiving “‘I treatment, the other five have lung metastases which have either regressed (two patients), or stabilized (three patients) with radioiodine treatment.The overall prognosis is grave. Best results with radioiodine are obtained in small pulmonary metastases, but palliation may be obtained when metastases in other organs are present.