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Radioiodine Therapy in Lactating Women with Higher-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

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Thyroid Cancer

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Abstract

In selected cases, postoperative radioiodine therapy is a useful therapeutic adjunct for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Both pregnancy and breastfeeding are absolute contraindications to radioiodine therapy. However, breast uptake on scintigraphy may occur for up to 8 months after discontinuation of breastfeeding and may also less commonly occur in non-lactating women with a history of hyperprolactinemia, breast malignancy/tumor, or mastitis. Initiation of dopamine agonist therapy with either cabergoline or bromocriptine should be a consideration to decrease prolactin levels and thus shorten the length of time until it is safe to proceed with radioiodine treatment. A pretreatment diagnostic scan is necessary in women with recent cessation of lactation or history of galactorrhea to confirm that no breast uptake exists prior to administration of therapeutic I-131.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1830 East Monument Street, Suite 333, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Swaytha Yalamanchi MD

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1830 East Monument Street, Suite 333, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    David S. Cooper MD

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  1. Swaytha Yalamanchi MD
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  2. David S. Cooper MD
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Correspondence to David S. Cooper MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    David S. Cooper

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rome, Rome, Roma, Italy

    Cosimo Durante

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Yalamanchi, S., Cooper, D.S. (2016). Radioiodine Therapy in Lactating Women with Higher-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. In: Cooper, D., Durante, C. (eds) Thyroid Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22401-5_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22401-5_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-22400-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22401-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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