CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO LEVOTHYROXINE THERAPY AFTER SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH WELL-DIFFERENTIATED THYROID CANCER

Abstract

Levothyroxine therapy with purpose to suppress thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) after surgery in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer is implemented since 1937. Accumulated results of levothyroxine suppressive therapy (LST) application are attesting its heterogeneous efficacy in various risk groups of tumor recurrence: low, medium and high. Similar risk groups are emphasized towards adverse effect risk due to LST. The more intensivity and duration of TSH suppression the higher risk of adverse effects. First, they include osteopenia or osteoporosis and atrial fibrillation. Contemporary approaches to intensivity and duration of LTS are based on accounting of its potential efficiency into various clinical risk groups of tumor recurrence as well as adverse effects risk groups.

Keywords

• thyroid cancer
• thyrotropic hormone
• levothyroxine suppressive therapy