Clinical Thyroidology for Patients
Up- to-date information to help you understand thyroid disease through the latest research.

In this Friends of the ATA e-news we have two issues of Clinical Thyroidology for Patients -- February and March! We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please follow this link to let us know what you want to see in this publication. I hope you find these summaries interesting and informative.

— Alan Farwell, MD

IN THE FEBRUARY ISSUE, STUDIES ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• Is the new drug Motesanib effective in patients with medullary thyroid cancer?
• What is the link between the thyroid and heart disease?
• What are the risks of thyroid surgery in patients over the age of 80 years?
• What is the best way to prepare low risk thyroid cancer patients for RAI therapy?
• What is the best surgery for patients with familial medullary thyroid cancer?
• What are the features of papillary thyroid cancer that arises in a thyroglossal duct cyst?
• Does Lithium treatment increase the success rate of RAI in patients with Graves’ disease?
• What is the response of children with Graves’ disease to RAI treatment?
• Is the new NCI classification system helpful in interpreting thyroid biopsy results?
• Should elderly patients with thyroid cancer be treated differently than younger patients?

Clinical Thyroidology for Patients February 2010 Volume 3 Issue 2

THYROID CANCER Motesanib Shows Promise as a New Treatment for Widespread Medullary Thyroid Cancer THYROID AND THE HEART Hypothyroidism Is Not Linked with a Significantly Increased Risk for Coronary Heart Disease THYROID SURGERY Complications of Thyroid Surgery in Octogenarians Are More Likely Caused by Underlying Illnesses than by Age Alone THYROID CANCER In Patients with Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer, Radioactive Iodine Therapy after Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal or rhTSH Stimulation Is Equally Effective THYROID CANCER Aggressive Surgery in Certain Patients with Familial Medullary Thyroid Cancer Is Safe and Results in High Cure Rates

THYROID CANCER Risk of Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Cancer Originating in Thyroglossal Duct Cysts HYPERTHYROIDISM Impact of Lithium on Efficacy of Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Graves’ Disease PEDIATRIC GRAVES’ DISEASE Factors Affecting Response to Radioactive Iodine Therapy in Children with Graves’ Disease THYROID NODULES A New Classification System for Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Results THYROID CANCER Elderly Patients With Thyroid Cancer Have Higher Mortality Rates If Not Treated With Surgery And Radioactive Iodine

IN THE MARCH ISSUE, STUDIES ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• Two papers ask the questions: what are the indications for more aggressive treatment and for less aggressive treatment of papillary microcarcinoma?
• Does thyroid hemiagenesis require long term follow up?
• Is there an increase in thyroid cancer in patients with SLE?
• When do nodules with benign biopsy results need to be re-biopsied

ATA Alliance for Patient Education
The goal of our organizations is to provide accurate and reliable information for patients about the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of thyroid diseases.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

ATA Conferences www.thyroid.org

Saturday, May 15, 2010 — Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, Minnesota ATA Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education Public Forum PDF File (147 KB)

Graves’ Disease Foundation Conferences www.ngdf.org

Fall 2010 — San Diego, CA Annual Meeting

Light of Life Foundation Conferences www.checkyourneck.com

Saturday, June 12, 2010, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY Light of Life Foundation Patient Education Day

ThyCa Conferences www.thyca.org

Saturday, April 17, 2010 — Kansas City, Missouri 6th Midwest Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop Free one-day educational event. Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.

Saturday, May 1, 2010 — Stowe, Vermont Vermont/New England Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Symposium Co-sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. and Stowe Weekend of Hope.

Saturday, May 22, 2010 — Baltimore, Maryland 9th Annual Mid-Atlantic Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Workshop Free one-day educational event Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc

Saturday, May 29, 2010 — St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop Free one-day educational event. Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.

June 4–5, 2010 — Rockville, Maryland Hypoparathyroidism Association Patient Conference At the Rockville Hilton Hotel, Rockville, Maryland Details at www.hypoparathyroidism.org

September 2010 Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. Plus year-round awareness campaigns. Visit the Raise Awareness Page to download free flyers, or request free awareness materials.

October 15–17, 2010 — Dallas, Texas. The 13th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.

October 16, 2010 — Dallas, Texas The 8th Annual Dinner/Auction Fundraiser for Thyroid Cancer Research Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference. Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.

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