title: Well-differentiated epithelial thyroid cancer management in the Asia Pacific region: a report and clinical practice guideline.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroid cancer is among the 10 most common malignancies in populations in the Asia Pacific region, where access to various relevant health care resources varies widely.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  An expert consensus conference was held to define regional patterns of practice and guidelines for optimal management of well-differentiated epithelial thyroid carcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Practice patterns vary from country to country, as would be anticipated form their variety of ethnic and racial populations, health care systems, economies, and cultures. Thyroid cancer care is provided by a number of medical and surgical specialists, usually including endocrinologists. The thyroid surgical skills, experience, and outcomes vary widely in the region. Radioiodine is available, to a greater or lesser extent, is almost all countries. Laboratory services for thyroid function monitoring are universally accessible; thyroglobulin assays are available in most countries. Recombinant thyrotropin is approved for use in only two countries, but can be accessed in some others on a "named patient" compassionate need basis. Access to advanced imaging, for exampke, positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, is limited to a few countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In light of these realities, appropriate strategies for initial treatment and postoperative monitoring of patients with thyroid cancer have been defined, and these are presented and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Department, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sundram
authors.forename: Bruce G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Mary Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lim-Abrahan
authors.forename: Nguyen Quang
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Bay
authors.forename: Loh Keh
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chuan
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Shih-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-Cho
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Norazmi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamaruddin
authors.forename: Wei Keat
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Won Bae
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Koong
authors.forename: Hong Da
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ampica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangklabruks
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paz-Pacheco
authors.forename: Abu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauff
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ladenson
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001208:Asia; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004704:Endocrinology / Q000379:methods; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents