[State of hypophyseal thyrotropic function in the complex treatment of thyroid cancer]

Radioimmune assay of the hypophyseal thyreotropic hormone (THH) in blood of 89 patients with thyroid cancer in stage II and III indicated that the THH level prior to the treatment did not differ from that in healthy individuals--3,0 +/- 0,6 ng/ml. Subtotal thyroidectomy was associated with a sharp riste of the thyreotropin concentration in blood during the immediately 7--20 days after surgery followed by its normalization in 1--2 months. Immediately after distant gamma-therapy the THH concentration did not differ from the initial value, but in later terms it was dependent on the clinical patient's state i.e. under hypothyreosis it was increased. Increased THH level was also noted in development of the cancer recurrence following the applied therapy (without hypothyreosis).