CLINICAL THYROIDOLOGY FOR THE PUBLIC
A publication of the American Thyroid Association

Table of Contents

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

Happy holidays and welcome to another issue of Clinical Thyroidology for the Public. In this journal, we will bring to you the most up-to-date, cutting edge thyroid research. We will be providing summaries of research studies that were discussed in a recent issue of Clinical Thyroidology, a publication of the American Thyroid Association for physicians. These summaries are present in lay language to allow the rapid dissemination of thyroid research to the widest possible audience. This means that you are getting the latest information on thyroid research and treatment almost as soon as your physicians. As always, we are happy to entertain any suggestions to improve Clinical Thyroidology for the Public so let us know what you want to see.

We also provide even faster updates of late-breaking thyroid news through Twitter at @thyroidfriends and on Facebook. Our goal is to provide patients with the tools to be the most informed thyroid patient in the waiting room.

Also check out our friends in the ATA Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education. The Alliance member groups consist of: the American Thyroid Association, the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation, the Light of Life Foundation, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association, Thyroid Cancer Canada and Thyroid Federation International.

December is Thyroid and Development Awareness Month.

In this issue, the studies ask the following questions:

  1. How safe is thyroid surgery?
  2. Does Lithium affect thyroid function?
  3. Does alcohol consumption affect your risk of getting thyroid cancer?
  4. Does the risk of getting thyroid cancer change as we age?
  5. Can CT scan measurements help the evaluation of thyroid nodules found incidentally on PET/CT scans done for a non-thyroid reason?
  6. Is the drug Dabrafenib helpful in treating patients with radioactive iodine-resistant thyroid cancer?

We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let us know what you want to see in this publication. I hope you find these summaries interesting and informative.

— Alan P. Farwell, MD, FACE