Treatment of TSH to prevent thyroid cancer recurrence increases the risk of fractures

"Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Suppression (TSH) Therapy

25% higher risk of fractures"

Medical Technology

Treatment with thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression (TSH) to prevent thyroid cancer recurrence may increase the risk of fractures, a study suggests.

  

The researchers looked at whether mild hyperthyroidism, which occurs when thyroid hormones are given to prevent recurrence after thyroid cancer surgery, increases the risk of fractures. Hyperthyroidism is a known risk factor for osteoporosis.

When the researchers divided them into quartiles according to the dose of thyroid hormone drugs and compared them with the number of fractures in the normal control group, they found that the group of patients with the highest dose (more than 170 micrograms per day) had a 25 percent higher risk of fractures compared to the control group.

However, the overall risk of fracture in thyroid cancer patients was not higher than in the control group, and the risk of fracture was about 29% lower in the second quartile than in the general population.

Professor Shin explained, "In some cases, it is necessary to increase thyroid hormones to prevent recurrence of thyroid cancer, but it is important to note that this may increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures."

Prof. Park Young-min said, "Overall, thyroid cancer patients did not have a high risk of fracture, but rather a lower risk in the group that used the appropriate dose, because osteoporosis treatment was better managed" and emphasized that "thyroid cancer patients can also manage the risk of fractures well if osteoporosis is well managed."

The study was published in the latest issue of the Journals of Bone and Mineral Research (IF 6.314).