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document
International Czech and Slovak cooperation in the treatment of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer . BACKGROUND The aim of this paper is to present our experience concerning cooperation in the treatment of Slovak patients with differentiated thyroid cancer in Slovak and Czech hospitals . The objectives of this study were to demonstrate the means of this cooperation and the results of therapy . MATERIAL AND METHODS From September 1991 to October 2005 in the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Ostrava 357 patients from the Slovak Republic with differentiated thyroid cancers ( follicular and papillary ) underwent complex therapy . They were diagnosed and operated due to the cancer ( near-total thyroidectomy and removal of lymph node metastases ) in Slovak hospitals . Then they were sent to the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Ostrava in the Czech Republic . In this department a radioiodine ablation of thyroid remnants , by means of the treatment amount of radioiodine of a standard activity of 3.7 GBq , was performed , and then a suppression and substitution therapy of thyroid hormones was started . After 3-6 months some patients were examined by means of diagnostic whole body scintigraphy after application of 300 MBq 131I . Some patients were treated by means of a standard activity of 7.4 GBq 131I and after 5 days whole body scintigraphy ( WBS ) was performed . In both of these groups of patients the diagnostic or therapeutic radioiodine application was done after withdrawal of thyroid hormone treatment . If thyroglobulin levels were low and WBSs were negative , patients were followed up in the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Martin . Patients with radioiodine accumulated metastases were again treated with radioiodine in Ostrava . If indicated , external radiation therapy targeted on the neck and upper mediastinum was performed in the Slovak Republic , in the University Hospital in Martin . Newly formed lymph node metastases were surgically treated in Slovakia , too . Generally we have very good treatment results . Also , economically our partnership is cost effective . Our collaboration also successfully continues after entrance of the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic to the European Union in 2004 . CONCLUSIONS The results of this multi-centre study show that international Czech and Slovak cooperation in the complex therapy of patients with differentiated thyroid cancers is successful , with high efficacy . The treatment results were very similar to therapeutic results in our patients from the Czech Republic .
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Intervention_Other
Czech and Slovak cooperation
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Intervention_Other
cooperation
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Intervention_Physical
complex therapy
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Intervention_Pharmacological
radioiodine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
radioiodine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
substitution therapy
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Intervention_Pharmacological
radioiodine
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Intervention_Pharmacological
radioiodine
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Intervention_Physical
radiation therapy
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Intervention_Other
cooperation
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Outcome_Mental
means of this cooperation
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Outcome_Other
diagnostic whole body scintigraphy
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Outcome_Physical
thyroglobulin levels
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Outcome_Physical
WBSs
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Outcome_Other
good treatment results
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Outcome_Other
cost effective
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Participant_Condition
differentiated thyroid cancer
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Participant_Condition
differentiated thyroid cancer
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Participant_Sample-size
357
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Participant_Condition
differentiated thyroid cancers ( follicular and papillary )