Active clinical trials for "Thyroid Diseases"

The investigators evaluated the cardiac effects of Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) over-suppression in women with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) frequently encountered during suppression therapy.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate Leptin levels in females, in the setting of papillary thyroid cancer, benign thyroid nodules, and in normal females without thyroid disease.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve dysfunction and hypoparathyroidism are well-recognized important complications of thyroid surgery. The duration of convalescence, after non complicated thyroid operation, may depend on several factors of which pain and fatigue are the most important. Nausea and vomiting occur mainly on the day of operation. Glucocorticoids are well known for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immune modulating and antiemetic effects. The investigators therefore undertook the present study to investigate whether preoperative dexamethasone could improve surgical outcome in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Background: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare malignancy, occurring either as a sporadic disease (75% of cases), or in a hereditary pattern as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2 (MEN2A or MEN2B) or familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). The MTC arises from the neural crest C-cells and in hereditary cases the first pathological disorder is C-cell hyperplasia (CCH) Most patients with MTC have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy have been minimally effective. Molecular targeted therapeutics (MTTs) and other receptor kinases in patients with advanced MTC have demonstrated activity. Despite some clinical responses, the collection of tumor tissues and autologous normal tissues has been virtually non-existent. Thus, laboratory studies defining affected molecular targets and downstream pathways, and molecular data providing direction for future clinical trials has yet to occur. Data from molecular studies of tumor tissue of hereditary or sporadic MTC patients will assist in predicting clinical behavior and the biology of MTC in predicting response to a given MTT, and in designing combination clinical trials. Objectives: Clarify how normal molecular pathways are altered by mutations in the RET protooncogene. Including additional genetic mutations and unidentified chromosomal translocations. Correlate results from molecular analyses of MTC tissue with patient s clinical course. Define how the molecular and clinical data will be useful in designing targeted therapy for patients with MTC. Eligibility: Patients must have confirmed diagnosis of C-cell hyperplasia, primary MTC, or metastatic MTC with archived pathology specimens available at Washington University. Design: Paraffin blocks of MTC tissues from archival samples at Washington University Department of Pathology will be selected. H&E slide from selected tissue blocks will be examined for molecular study suitability. Necessary tissue samples from blocks will have molecular studies, including, gene arrays, array comparative genomic hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and sequencing. Retrospective chart review will occur to obtain relevant clinical information.

Evaluation of the effectivity of the new thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) apparatus of which patented from Turkish Patent Institute.

Thyroidectomy followed by administration of large activities of 131-iodine (131I) is the treatment of choice for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). The serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement during hypothyroidism (offT4-Tg), just before radioiodine thyroid ablation, has proved to be effective for predicting persistent/recurrent disease. However, the Tg measurement cannot be used as a corresponding value for preablative offT4-Tg when rhTSH is used as stimulous before treatment. The present study was undertaken to evaluate if post-thyroidectomy Tg values, measured before rhTSH-stimulation and radioiodine administration, is of prognostic value in patients affected by DTC. We enrolled 28 patients with DTC and submitted to total thyroidectomy. Thyroxine (T4) treatment was started just after surgery to suppress TSH levels. Six to nine weeks later Tg levels were measured both basally (onT4-Tg) and after rhTSH (rhTSH-Tg) stimulation. Subsequently, T4 was stopped and serum Tg measured (offT4-Tg) just before 3700 MBq of 131I-iodide administration. A post-treatment whole body scan (PT-WBS) was performed and neck radioiodine uptake (RAIU) measured. A significant relationship was found between onT4-Tg and both rhTSH-Tg and offT4-Tg. The onT4-Tg levels of 0.2 ng/mL or higher predicted PT-WBS results with a 100% negative and 43% positive predictive values, respectively. Additionally onT4-Tg levels of 0.9 ng/mL or more predicts 12-months recurrences with 100% negative and 60% positive predictive value. In comparison, 1.0 ng/mL or higher offT4-Tg values predicted PT-WBS results and 12-months restaging with 94% and 100% negative and 45% and 27% positive predictive value, respectively. Basing on our data we conclude that preablative onT4-Tg may be of value as prognostic marker when rhTSH-aided radioiodine ablation is done. Additionally, the role of preblative onT4-Tg measurement as a yard-stick for radioiodine ablation should be further evaluate.

This study was designed to evaluate the level of certain hormones (thyroid hormones and cortisol) in full term or close to full term infants who have respiratory distress severe enough to require respiratory support. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between these hormone levels and how sick these infants are who require help with breathing following birth. Hypothesis: Infants who are born full term or near full term and who have low hormone levels will have higher severity of illness.

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of hemodynamic parameters with the level of thyroid hormones and the histological structure of thyroid nodules in euthyroid patients.

Thyroid nodules are common (prevalence of 12.7% in women), but are malignant in only 5% of cases. International experts agree that a preliminary cytological examination by fine needle aspiration (FNA) is required. The management of patients with cytological results consistent with malignant or suspicious for malignancy nodules is well codified and generally involves surgery. However, there is no consensus concerning 1) the utility of a second FNA during the monitoring of benign nodules. Certain studies have recommended a second FNA, whereas others have recommended ultrasound monitoring alone; 2) the contribution of ultrasound criteria to the decision as to whether to carry out a second FNA, particularly if the nodule increases in size; 3) the management of nodules classified as doubtful or suspect on needle biopsy, many of which prove to be benign (20 to 30% are malignant), raising questions about the utility of systematic thyroid surgery or the justification for a second FNA; 4) the management of patients with non significant (NS) findings on FNA, for whom immediate surgery, monitoring or a second FNA may be recommended and 5) the procedure to be followed for nodules present in patients with multinodular thyroid disease.

When the DNA inside of human cells undergoes certain alterations (mutations), the cells may develop into a cancer. The cancer cells may shed this DNA into the blood stream. This circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be detected by very sensitive, specialized laboratory tests. Measurement of ctDNA has been shown to be useful for following patients with known cancer. The purpose of this study is to examine blood specimens for the presence of ctDNA in individuals without known cancer who are scheduled to undergo a fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid gland because of one or more thyroid nodules in order to see if the ctDNA test can detect a cancer at a very early stage. The results of this study should help define the role of ctDNA in the detection of early stage thyroid cancer and to define how sensitive it is (i.e. how well it picks up cancer when it is present) and how specific it is (i.e. how often is ctDNA found in patients with benign thyroid nodules).