title: Weight Changes in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma during Postoperative Long-Term Follow-up under Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Suppression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are limited data about whether patients who receive initial treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) gain or lose weight during long-term follow-up under thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression. This study was aimed to evaluate whether DTC patients under TSH suppression experience long-term weight gain after initial treatment. We also examined the impact of the radioactive iodine ablation therapy (RAIT) preparation method on changes of weight, comparing thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) and recombinant human TSH (rhTSH).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 700 DTC patients who underwent a total thyroidectomy followed by either RAIT and levothyroxine (T4) replacement or T4 replacement alone. The control group included 350 age-matched patients with benign thyroid nodules followed during same period. Anthropometric data were measured at baseline, 1 to 2 years, and 3 to 4 years after thyroidectomy. Comparisons were made between weight and body mass index (BMI) at baseline and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant gains in weight and BMI were observed 3 to 4 years after initial treatment for female DTC but not in male patients. These gains among female DTC patients were also significant compared to age-matched control. Women in the THW group gained a significant amount of weight and BMI compared to baseline, while there was no increase in weight or BMI in the rhTSH group. There were no changes in weight and BMI in men according to RAIT preparation methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female DTC patients showed significant gains in weight and BMI during long-term follow-up after initial treatment. These changes were seen only in patients who underwent THW for RAIT.
authors.affiliation: Center for Thyroid Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Seo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Joung
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Center, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. swkimmd@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Sun Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Body weight; Thyroid hormones; Thyroid neoplasms; Thyrotropin