Radioactive Iodine in the Treatment of Medullary Carcinoma of the Thyroid*

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Abstract
To determine the value of adjunct 131I therapy in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT), two groups of patients with histologically proved MCT were studied. Group A consisted of 15 patients (6 men and 9 women) treated by surgery, followed by an ablative dose of 131I, and group B included 84 patients (39 men and 45 women) treated by surgery alone. Patients in group A were followed for 1.5-14 yr (median, 53 months), and those in group B were followed for 1–27 hr (median, 75 months). Seven patients (46.6%) from group A and 36 patients (42.9%) from group B developed recurrence or metastasis. The 5- and 10-yr survival rates were 87.5% and 75% for group A and 89% and 74% for group B; the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The changes in serum calcitonin levels in 4 patients of group A were not different from those in patients who did not receive 131I. We conclude that 131I has no value as an adjunct to surgery in the management of MCT.

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