Radioiodine therapy effects on offspring of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Radioiodine therapy has attained a significant role in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer. The literature addressing possible secondary effects of 131 I is limited, although there has been increasingly interest in this field. A more comprehensive understanding of the mutagenic effects of radiation on the offspring of women exposed to 131 I is mandatory in view of the possibility of occurrence of miscarriages, congenital abnormalities and malignancies in these children. In this review, we found that many reports on safety of this type of treatment in female patients in reproductive age recommend that pregnancy should be avoided for at least one year after therapeutic administration of radioiodine. (author)