What cancers can radioactive iodine cause?

Taking a closer look at the solid cancer risks, the researchers found that treatment with RAI (versus no treatment with RAI) was associated with increased risk of salivary gland cancer (by 200%), uterine cancer (by 55%), lung cancer (by 42%), and female breast cancer (by 18%).


What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?

Some women may have irregular periods after radioactive iodine treatment. Radioactive iodine treatment should not affect your ability to have children, even if you need to have repeated treatments. Men who need to have repeated treatment with radioactive iodine may have lower sperm counts and lower testosterone levels.

What type of cancer is associated with iodine-131 exposure?

I-131 collects in the thyroid gland. People exposed to I-131, especially during childhood, may have an increased risk of thyroid disease, including thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is uncommon and is usually curable. Typically, it is a slow-growing cancer that is highly treatable.


Can you get thyroid cancer after radioactive iodine treatment?

However, the DRMA found that increases in the RAI dose were associated with increases in mortality from solid cancer and breast cancer. The risk of thyroid cancer mortality was elevated more than 2-fold (SMR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.37-3.59) after RAI therapy for hyperthyroidism.

What are the risks of radioactive iodine?

People who have had RAI therapy may have a slightly increased risk of developing leukemia, stomach cancer, and salivary gland cancer in the future. Doctors disagree on exactly how much this risk is increased, but most of the largest studies have found that this is an extremely rare complication.


Radioiodine treatment can cause another new cancers. radioactive iodine therapy side effects



Can radioactive iodine cause leukemia?

Very high doses of RAI (exceeding 600 mCi) have been known to increase the risk of acute leukemia. However, leukemia following a lower dose of RAI can also occur.

Who should not take radioactive iodine?

What precautions should be taken with radioactive iodine therapy? Women who are pregnant or nursing should not receive RAI therapy. Pregnancy should be delayed at least six to 12 months after RAI treatment for thyroid cancer. Breast feeding should be stopped at least six weeks before RAI and should not be resumed.

What are the chances of getting cancer from radioactive iodine?

Taking a closer look at the solid cancer risks, the researchers found that treatment with RAI (versus no treatment with RAI) was associated with increased risk of salivary gland cancer (by 200%), uterine cancer (by 55%), lung cancer (by 42%), and female breast cancer (by 18%).


Can radioactive iodine cause lymphoma?

An association was found between radioiodine exposure and an increased risk for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in univariate but a nonsignificant increased risk in multivariate analysis: HR = 2.89 [CI 1.12-7.46], p = 0.03; HR = 2.32 [CI 0.88-6.13], p = 0.09, respectively.

Which thyroid cancer is caused by radiation?

Papillary carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent form of thyroid carcinoma diagnosed after radiation exposure, with a higher prevalence of the solid subtype in young children with a short latency period and of the classical subtype in cases with a longer latency period after exposure.

Which is better radioactive iodine or surgery?

Due to many benefits, radioiodine is preferred in most of the adult patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism while only small proportion of patients is sent to surgery. Radioiodine is especially the treatment of choice in elderly patients and patients with heart disease.


How long does radioactive iodine stay in your body?

How Long Does the Radioiodine Stay in the Body? The radioiodine from your treatment will remain in your body only temporarily. Most of the radioiodine not collected by your thyroid gland will be eliminated during the first two days after your treatment.

How many times can you have radioactive iodine treatment?

You may only need to have this treatment once. But it can be repeated every 3 months if needed, until there is no sign of any thyroid cancer on your scans.

What does radioactive iodine do to your immune system?

Treatment of Graves' disease patients with radioactive iodide (RAI) can induce two therapeutically important alterations in immune response to thyroid antigens. These may be characterized as a first response and a second phase response.


Is radioactive iodine carcinogenic?

Findings from a study of patients who received radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for hyperthyroidism show an association between the dose of treatment and long-term risk of death from solid cancers, including breast cancer.

Is radioactive iodine hard on the kidneys?

Conclusion: Our ndings suggest that the nephrotoxicity of high-dose 131I therapy, regardless of gender, is very low in patients with DTC with normal renal function; however, high-dose 131I therapy may exacerbate the loss of renal function in those with renal dysfunction.

Can radioactive iodine cause liver damage?

However, there is some evidence that iodine-131 can induce liver injury . Here we report a rare case of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by iodine-131 in a patient with regional lymph node metastasis after total thyroidectomy.


Why do you have to stay away from people after radioactive iodine?

Why do people need to isolate? People need to isolate themselves after RAI treatment to prevent others from radiation exposure. It is particularly important to avoid contact with children and pregnant people, as it is especially harmful to developing children.

How successful is radioactive iodine?

Radioiodine was safe with no cases of thyroid storm or leukemia observed. Those treated twice or three times needed 263 ± 123 MBq. There was a 100% cumulative permanent hypothyroid rate at 100 months, with just over 24.4% conversions to hypothyroidism at 6 months and 62.2% achieved by 2 years.

Which organ is most sensitive to radioactive iodine?

The thyroid gland is one of the most sensitive organs for radiation-induced oncogenesis and the magnitude of the risk from external radiation is well understood.


What can you not do after radioactive iodine treatment?

First two days:
  1. Do not share cups, glasses, plates or eating utensils. Wash items promptly after using. ...
  2. Do not share towels or washcloths.
  3. Flush the toilet twice and rinse the sink and tub after use.
  4. Wash your towels, bed linens, underwear, and any clothing stained with urine or sweat.


What happens to the thyroid after radioactive iodine?

Radioactive iodine is taken up by the thyroid, and destroys the cells in the thyroid gland. This has the effect of reducing the amount of thyroxine made by the thyroid gland and may also reduce the size of the gland.

Does radioactive iodine affect bone marrow?

The bone marrow can be affected by radioiodine treatment. This is probably due to radiation damage from protein-bound or free-circulating radioiodine [24], or a local effect in case of uptake of radioiodine in bone metastases.


Does radioactive iodine make you feel ill?

Side effects of radioactive iodine

dry mouth and changes to your taste. a swollen or tender neck. feeling flushed. feeling sick (nausea)

Can radioactive iodine cause heart problems?

Compared to the patients treated with thyroidectomy, the RAI-treated patients had a higher risk of hospitalization due to all CVDs (HR = 1.17), atrial fibrillation (HR = 1.28), as well as a higher CVD mortality rate (HR = 2.56).