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Risks of Thyroid Hormone Suppression for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in the Elderly

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Thyroid Cancer

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Abstract

Suppressive thyroxine (T4) therapy was previously a cornerstone in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Evidence has since demonstrated that complete suppression of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) lowers neither mortality nor recurrence rates in low-risk disease, though does confer benefit in high-risk disease. Subclinical and overt iatrogenic hyperthyroidism may negatively affect cardiovascular and bone health, particularly in the elderly. Individualized serum TSH goals should be made based on comorbidities and risk factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Swaytha Yalamanchi

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    David S. Cooper

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

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Giorgio Grani

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    David S. Cooper

  3. Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Cosimo Durante

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Yalamanchi, S., Cooper, D.S. (2021). Risks of Thyroid Hormone Suppression for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in the Elderly. In: Grani, G., Cooper, D.S., Durante, C. (eds) Thyroid Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61919-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61919-0_17

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