radio-active iodine and risk of cancer
Last reviewed 01/2018
- Franklyn et al (1) have undertaken a population-based cohort study examining the incidence and mortality of cancer following radioiodine treatment. Findings included:
- a significant decrease in the total number of cancer diagnoses and deaths from cancer in the radioiodine group compared to matched data from the general population (1)
- a significant, but small, increase in the incidence of small bowel and thyroid cancers - however the absolute risk of these cancers remained low
Reference:
- (1) Franklyn JA, Maisonneuve P, Sheppard MC et al (1999). Cancer incidence and mortality after radioiodine treatment for hyperthyroidism: a population-based cohort study. Lancet, 338 (11), 712-718.