Low-Activity Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Thyroid Carcinomas Exhibiting Nodal Metastases and Extrathyroidal Extension May Lead to Early Disease Recurrence

Abstract

Recurrent disease in differentiated thyroid carcinoma is more common in patients treated with low-activity radioactive iodine in patients with lymph node metastases and extrathyroidal extension. These recurrences typically occur within four years of initial treatment. Patients lacking both of these risk factors treated with low radioactive iodine activity (<1850 MBq) have excellent outcomes, even after 10 years.