drugs

Drugs for the Treatment of Thyroid Cancer

Definition

The thyroid can also be affected by cancer: the incidence of thyroid cancer is less relevant than in tumors like those in the ovaries and prostate, and fortunately has a rather low degree of mortality (when compared to hepatic and pancreatic neoplasms). Often the thyroid cancer manifests itself in a benign form, causing no damage to the organism; however, being a tumor, it should not be underestimated.

Causes

The presence of a thyroid nodule should alarm, although not necessarily a nodule degenerates into cancer. For etiological research, no precise cause has been identified, only risk factors: familiarity for goiter and genetic predisposition to thyroid diseases, exposure to ionizing radiation, adult age, female sex.

Symptoms

The thyroid tumor does not begin with a definite and precise symptomatology, therefore only rarely is it diagnosed in the initial stage: precisely, we speak of a long latency period, understood as the moment that elapses between the neoplastic induction and the true prodromal manifestation. In the advanced stage, the tumor can cause: anorexia, alteration of hunger, difficulty in breathing, increase in weight and size of the thyroid, difficulty in swallowing, formation of a hard lump in the neck, loss of appetite, hollowing of the lymph nodes of the neck, hoarseness .

Information on thyroid cancer - drugs for the treatment of thyroid cancer is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Thyroid Cancer - Drugs for the Treatment of Thyroid Cancer.

drugs

Only a minimal part of thyroid tumors manifests itself in a violent way: it has been observed, in fact, that this neoplasm, in most cases diagnosed, tends to self-remedy and regress, albeit slowly, dragging with it all the symptoms.

However, it must be remembered that in recent years, thyroid tumors seem to have increased: this fact must not alarm too much, given that, probably, this increase seems to depend on the improvement of current diagnostic techniques: thyroid ultrasound (which uses ultrasounds), scintigraphic and agospirato examination.

As with all diseases, the treatment of thyroid cancer depends on the degree of progression of the disease (and therefore on its severity), on the damaged cells and on the patient's state of health.

When the patient has to undergo surgery, in most cases, he proceeds with thyroidectomy, the removal of the thyroid, possibly associated with excision of the local lymph nodes.

The most immediate side effect derived from thyroidectomy (not from thyroid cancer) is hypothyroidism, easily treatable with hormonal drugs:

Thyroid cancer → thyroidectomy → hypothyroidism → need for hormonal therapy:

  • Levothyroxine sodium (eg Eutirox, Syntroxine, Tiracrin, Tirosint): initially take 12.5-50 mcg of the drug per day. The dose may increase by 12.5 to 25 mcg per day every 2-4 weeks. Consult your doctor.

Following surgery, it is essential to subject the patient to a hormonal treatment: the increase in TSH levels - a typical immediate consequence of hypothyroidism, given by the removal of the thyroid - could induce the malignant cells eventually present to the regeneration; therefore, it is necessary to start a hormone-based therapy, at suppressive doses, so that TSH levels remain below normal, and cancer cells are not stimulated to proliferation.

As an alternative to surgery, the patient suffering from thyroid cancer can be treated with radioactive iodine (IODE 131): generally taken orally (the intravenous route is rarely considered), the drug is absorbed from the intestine, passes in the bloodstream and, subsequently, incorporated and absorbed by the thyroid gland. The effect derived from this drug can be observed after a few weeks of treatment. The dosage must be determined individually: seek medical attention. However, in general, the recommended posology for ablation of normal thyroid tissue is 1850 MBq; maintenance therapeutic doses range from 3, 700 to 5, 550 MBq, corresponding to 100-150 millicurias.

Notes : the abbreviation "Bq" indicates the Mega-becquerel, corresponding to the unit of measurement of radioactivity, expressed more simply in Mega-Bq.

1 kilo- becquerel = 103 Bq

1 Mega-becquerel = 106 Bq

1 Giga-becquerel = 109 Bq

1 Curie (old unit of measurement of radioactivity) = 37 Giga-becquerel = 37X109 Bq

Thyroid cancer: drugs

The chemotherapy treatment for the treatment of thyroid cancer is reserved exclusively for patients suffering from widespread thyroid cancer, who are inoperable and not susceptible to ion therapy.

  • Doxorubicin (eg Myocet, Caelyx, Adriblastina) the drug is often used in combination with other antineoplastic drugs such as cisplatin (eg Cisplatin ACC, Platamine, Pronto Platamine). Doxorubicin is generally taken at a variable dose of 40-60 mg per square meter of body extension, intravenously, for 21-28 days. Alternatively, take 60-75 mg in the same way, for 3 weeks.
  • Sorafenib (eg. Nexavar): the chemotherapy drug is the most used for the treatment of liver cancer; however, it is sometimes used in therapy to treat thyroid cancer. The dosage should be established by the doctor based on the stage of progress of the tumor and on the response to patient care.
  • Vandetanib (eg. Zactima): the drug is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, used in therapy for the treatment of thyroid cancer for inoperable, matastic or local advanced patients. The initial recommended dose is 300 mg taken orally, once a day. The treatment for the treatment of thyroid cancer with this drug should be continued until an obvious improvement in symptoms, without too many toxic side effects.