Treatment of iodine-negative thyroglobulin-positive thyroid cancer: differences in outcome in patients with macrometastases and patients with micrometastases

Abstract

Purpose. During the follow-up of patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma, some patients have elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels without any evidence of radioiodine accumulation on diagnostic whole-body scan (d-WBS). The treatment strategy in these patients is considered a clinical dilemma, with some groups recommending blind use of high-dose radioiodine therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether or not high doses of radioiodine have beneficial effects in these patients.