Background: Radioiodine resistance in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and unsuccessful ablation may adversely affect the prognosis of patients with DTC; therefore, identifying the factors that affect the success of ablation is very important in the management of patients with DTC. Our goal was to assess the factors associated with DTC after thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine ablation for achievement of disease-free status.
Methods: This was a retrospective study in which 277 patients were included. Age, gender, extent of thyroid surgery, tumor size, nodal metastases, distant metastases, and pre-ablation thyroglobulin (Tg) were analyzed initially in univariate analysis and then with significant variables by multivariate analysis.
Results: On univariate analysis, variables such as pre-ablated stimulated Tg level ≤ 20 ng/ml, absence of locoregional and distant metastases, tumor ≤ 4 cm, total thyroidectomy, and low and intermediate risk groups appeared to be significant. On multivariate analysis, stimulated Tg level ≤ 20 ng/ml, absence of locoregional metastases, and total thyroidectomy were associated with disease-free status.
Conclusion: The most important predictors for succeeding a disease-free status were low pre-ablation Tg level, i.e., 20 ng/ml, appropriate total thyroidectomy, and absence of lymph node metastasis.
Key words: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma, good prognosis, radioiodine therapy, disease-free status, Thyroglobulin (Tg)
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