Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: The Standard of Care

In the past decade, the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) underwent a paradigm shift toward the use of risk stratification with the goal of maximizing the benefit and minimizing the morbidity of radioiodine (I-131) therapy. I-131 therapy is guided by information derived from surgical histopathology, molecular markers, postoperative diagnostic radioiodine scintigraphy, and thyroglobulin levels. I-131 is used for diagnostic imaging and therapy of DTC based on physiologic sodium-iodine symporter expression in normal and neoplastic thyroid tissue. We summarize the essential information at the core of multidisciplinary DTC management, which emphasizes individualization of I-131 therapy according to the patient's risk for tumor recurrence.

Automated summary

Over the past decade, the management of differentiated thyroid cancer has shifted towards risk stratification to optimize the benefits and minimize the complications of radioiodine therapy. This therapy is guided by various factors including surgical histopathology, molecular markers, postoperative diagnostic radioiodine scintigraphy, and thyroglobulin levels. The use of radioiodine is based on the expression of the sodium-iodine symporter in normal and neoplastic thyroid tissue. This article summarizes the essential information for multidisciplinary management of differentiated thyroid cancer, highlighting the importance of individualizing radioiodine therapy based on the patient's risk for tumor recurrence.