Hello jpmjr73~
According to the New York Thyroid Center, ?Since iodine is a natural
substance your thyroid uses to make thyroid hormone, radioactive
iodine (RAI) is collected by your thyroid gland in the same way as
non-radioactive iodine. Since the thyroid gland is the only area of
the body that uses iodine, ***RAI does not travel to any other areas
of the body, and the RAI that is not taken up by thyroid cells is
eliminated from your body, primarily in urine. It is therefore a safe
and effective way to test and treat thyroid conditions.***? (Emphasis
mine.) (?Radioactive Iodine,?
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/RAI.html )
Radioactive iodine is not only used for thyroid cancer patients, but
for patients with other, non-life-threatening, thyroid conditions. It
is considered perfectly safe, indefinitely.
You may wish to know, however, that a recent study suggests RAI
*might* be connected to increased risk of breast cancer in women. To
read more about this study, see ?Radioactive Iodine for Thyroid Cancer
May Increase Risk of Breast Cancer,? Mercola,
http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/15/radioactive_iodine.htm ) In
addition, pregnant women should not have the test.
You may wonder how RAI works for someone who has no thyroid. Endocrine
Web explains, ?Radioactive Iodine is given to the patient and the
remaining thyroid cells (and any thyroid cancer cells retaining this
ability) will absorb and concentrate it. ***Since all other cells of
our bodies cannot absorb the toxic iodine, they are unharmed. The
thyroid cancer cells, however, will concentrate the poison within
themselves and the radioactivity destroys the cell from within.***?
(Emphasis mine.) (?Thyroid Cancer,?
http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroidca.html )
Therefore, doctors believe that someone can have RAI for the rest of
their life, and remain unharmed by the treatment. How long your doctor
gives you RAI depends upon your age, your overall health, and the type
and stage of the disease.
If any part of this answer is unclear, please don't hesitate to ask
for clarification before you leave a rating.
Kind regards,
Kriswrite
KEYWORDS USED:
"thyroid cancer" "radioactive iodine"
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