CLINICAL THYROIDOLOGY FOR PATIENTS
A publication of the American Thyroid Association

Table of Contents

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

Welcome to the start of another year of Clinical Thyroidology for Patients. We are starting our 4th year of publication, bringing to you, the patients, the most up-to-date, cutting edge thyroid research. What you read here as research studies will likely become the accepted practice in the future.

Clinical Thyroidology for Patients is published on a monthly basis and includes summaries of research studies that were discussed in a recent issue of Clinical Thyroidology, a publication of the American Thyroid Association for physicians. This means that you, the patients, are getting the latest information on thyroid research and treatment almost as soon as your physicians.

The Calendar of Events highlights educational forums and support groups that are organized around the country by members of the Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education. The Alliance member groups consist of: the American Thyroid Association, the Graves’ Disease Foundation, the Light of Life Foundation and ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association.

In this issue, the studies ask the following questions:

• What is the best way to protect your thyroid in the event of a nuclear accident?
• Is pre-term birth a risk factor for developing hypothyroidism as an adult?
• Should women who are considering pregnancy take extra iodine prior to getting pregnant?
• Do thyroid nodules that have a benign appearance on ultrasound need to be biopsied?
• Has the type of thyroid surgery changed in recent years?
• Is a family history of any cancer a risk factor for developing thyroid cancer?
• What is the best way to identify thyroid cancer patients who are at low risk for cancer recurrence?

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