Managing thyroid cancer in Steinert's disease: the role of radiofrequency ablation
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 24, 2025
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors
Published on: March 7, 2011
Paola Solis-Pazmino1,2, Mishel A Carvajal1, Mikaela García1,3
1Head and Neck Surgery, Instituto de la Tiroides y Enfermedades de Cabeza y Cuello (ITECC), Quito, Ecuador.
Abstract:
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive, non-surgical technique used to treat benign or microcarcinoma thyroid nodules (TN) that provides an alternative for patients considered high-risk candidates for surgery. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), also known as Steinert's Disease, is a multisystem disorder that affects various organs and tissues, including the thyroid. In this case, we presented a male patient diagnosed with DM1 who incidentally discovered a left TN with features indicative of thyroid cancer. Due to the patient's increased surgical risk associated with DM1, we opted for RFA as the treatment approach. In the follow-up, the TN decreased by 76.92% in size. The patient's thyroid function remained standard, with no reported complications or adverse effects post-treatment.
