The effect of thyroid hormone withdrawal performed to evaluate the success of I-131 ablation on quality of life and psychological symptoms in female patients with low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer

Aim: There is a need to evaluate the treatment response in patients who have undergone radioiodine treatment (RIT) for differentiated thyroid cancer. Diagnostic tests that are used for this purpose include radioiodine whole-body scan (WBS) and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement, which are most accurate during thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation. However, temporary discontinuation of thyroid hormone therapy to increase TSH (withdrawal) may be associated with the morbidity of hypothyroidism. The study aimed to show the effects of thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) on quality of life and psychological symptoms in female patients with low-risk, well-differentiated papillary thyroid cancer. Material and Method: We applied the short form-36 (SF-36) and Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) questionnaires to the patients in the euthyroid state who have referred a median of 9 months (6-13 months) after RIT to perform a dWBS and to evaluate stimulated Tg. We applied the same questionnaire again when thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was > 30 μIU/mL 4 weeks after THW (hypothyroid state). Results: 52 patients were evaluated (median age 48 years, range 23-65 years). There was a statistically significant worsening in anxiety, psychosis, additional items, and general symptoms of the SCL-90-R questionnaire. With the SF-36 questionnaire, we observed statistically significant worsening in physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, social functioning, and general health change. Conclusion: THW worsened the patients’ psychological symptoms and quality of life. To reduce the side effects of hypothyroidism, treatment response assessment with TSH stimulation should be used only in a selected group of patients.