Thyroid Research Highlights

Stemming from both basic and clinical research, scientific discoveries have led to a greater understanding of thyroid disorders and the development of new treatment methods.   

For example, it has been known for many years that thyroid hormone is essential for normal brain development in fetuses, babies, and young children.  Research over the past ten years has shown that even mild hypothyroidism—a deficiency of thyroid hormone— in the mother can have harmful effects on her fetus's brain development. This finding has led to recommendations that women at risk for hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid be screened during pregnancy, and that pregnant women with any degree of hypothyroidism be treated as soon as the diagnosis is made.  This research has the potential to help many babies avoid impairments in brain development due to hypothyroidism in their mothers.  

Thyroid nodules—growths within the thyroid gland—are common, but until recently, doctors and researchers have not known how to evaluate these nodules to make sure they are not cancerous.  Studies over the past ten years have shown that thyroid nodules are best evaluated with a neck ultrasound and biopsy, allowing patients with thyroid nodules to avoid unnecessary preliminary testing.  This finding has improved physicians' ability to accurately determine whether nodules require surgical removal or can be monitored without treatment.  

Thyroid cancer treatment typically consists of a combination of surgery and radioactive iodine.  After surgical removal of the thyroid gland, patients must take synthetic thyroid hormone.  Until recently, patients had to temporarily stop their thyroid hormone therapy to receive radioactive iodine treatment or undergo monitoring tests for possible cancer recurrence.  This was to allow the patient's thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level to rise and stimulate cancer cells to absorb iodine.  

Basic research led to the development of recombinant human TSH, which is human TSH made in the lab.  Clinical research then showed that patients with thyroid cancer could undergo radioactive iodine treatment and monitoring using recombinant human TSH, rather than discontinuing their thyroid hormone therapy.  This finding has helped many patients avoid this temporary hypothyroidism, and has made the long-term monitoring of thyroid cancer much more effective.

For more information on endocrine research, see our Clinical Trials and Research page.

Author:
Mary H. Samuels, MD