Initial Evaluation of Therapy Response after Adjuvant Radioiodine Therapy in Patients with Early-Stage Papillary Thyroid Cancer-Does Time Matter?

Background: The aim was to assess ablation success after initial radioiodine (RAI) therapy in early-stage PTC patients and compare outcomes of first diagnostic control after 6 and 9 months (6m/9m-DC) to examine whether time could possibly avoid unnecessary overtreatment.

Methods: There were 353 patients who were matched regarding age, sex, and tumor stage and divided in two groups depending on time of first DC (6m- and 9m-DC). Therapy response was defined as thyroglobulin level <0.