SUPPRESSIVE THERAPY FOR SOLITARY THYROID NODULES
F CAHİT İÇLİ, SELÇUK ARDA, FARUK VAR, AHMET TULPAR
Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Genel Cerrahi Anabilim Dalı, SİVAS
Abstract
In this study, six hundred thirty patients who were followed because of thyroid disease in the Department of General Surgery in Cumhuriyet University. Therapautic response of 33 patients who were routinely followed by T3' T4' TSH, ultrasonography and Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB), sintigraphy and were suppressed by thyroxine for six months was investigated.
The diameter and volume of nodula calculated. We determined that nodula was disappeared on 11 of 33 patients, eight of them already were suppressed. Five of them were operated and others rejected of operation.
Mean ultrasonographic diameter of nodula was initially 14.9 ± 4.3 mm, and it was 12.9 ± 5.7 mm end of the 6 months thyroxine suppression. This depletion was statistically significant (p<0.05). Mean nodular volume was initially 1.22 ± 1.07 ml and was 0.94 ± 1.29 ml after 6 months thyroxine suppression. Twenty three percent decrease of volume was also statistically significant. The mean nodular volume of patients who could be followed more than six months was 67%.
Response to suppressive therapy was 61% (20/33). Cancer incidence was 5% (1/20) for suppressed nodula and 15% (2/13) for not suppressed nodula.
We suggest that suppression therapy for more than six months must be applied to patients who are followed by the data of FNAB.