J Korean Thyroid Assoc.  2014 Nov;7(2):167-171. 10.11106/cet.2014.7.2.167.

Analysis of Therapeutic Modalities of Thyroid Cancer in Korea between 2008 and 2012

• Seo GH
• Chung JH

• KMID: 2095129
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11106/cet.2014.7.2.167

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing in Korea as well as in other countries. The majority of thyroid cancers are papillary thyroid carcinomas and follicular thyroid carcinomas, both of which are classified as differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Total or near-total thyroidectomy followed by administration of radioactive iodine (RAI) constitutes the initial treatment for DTC. This study was conducted to investigate the therapeutic modalities of surgery and RAI for the treatment of DTC in Korea using claims data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was performed in 170,131 (men 29,002, women 141,129) Korean patients with thyroid cancer treated from January 2008 to December 2012. Patients with past history of thyroid cancer prior to 2008 were not included.
RESULTS
Total or near total thyroidectomy was done in 83.4%, lobectomy in 14.4%, and subtotal thyroidectomy in 2.2%. Postoperative RAI treatment was performed in 52.7%. Median 100 mCi of RAI was administered at median 89 days after operation, and it was completed with one dose in 66.0%. Thirty mCi was mostly preferred as an initial dose in 35.6%, and subsequently 150 mCi in 25.7%, 100 mCi in 17.5%, and more than 150 mCi in 10.1%. Median cumulative RAI dose was 130 mCi. RAI treatment rate was decreasing during recent 5 years.
CONCLUSION
This is the first nationwide report to investigate the therapeutic modalities of surgery and RAI for the treatment of DTC in Korea.

Keyword

Thyroid cancer; Thyroidectomy; Radioactive iodine

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular
Female
Humans
Incidence
Insurance, Health
Iodine
Korea
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Neoplasms*
Thyroidectomy
Iodine

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Surgical extent of 170,131 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent thyroidectomy between 2008 and 2012.

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  Fig. 2. Rates of total thyroidectomy between 2008 and 2012.

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  Fig. 3. Comparison of first dose of radioactive iodine after thyroidectomy.

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  Fig. 4. Rates of radioactive iodine therapy which was done within 1 year after thyroidectomy between 2008 and 2012.

Reference

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