Patients treated for DTC represent a unique clinical population to investigate aspects of thyroid hormone metabolism, thyroid function and related clinical endpoints. Thyroidectomized patients... Show morePatients treated for DTC represent a unique clinical population to investigate aspects of thyroid hormone metabolism, thyroid function and related clinical endpoints. Thyroidectomized patients have no intrinsic T3 production and are completely dependent on peripheral deiodination of exogenous T4. Furthermore, during long-term follow-up thyroid hormone serum levels are frequently measured and the majority of patients have a normal life-span related to high cure rates. Mostly, no autoimmune origin of hypothyroidism is present to take account of, which may have effects on thyroid hormone metabolism itself. It is therefore favorable to investigate the influence of e.g. genetic factors and certain drugs on thyroid metabolism and other endpoints in an athyreotic population.In this thesis several aspects being encountered in the diagnostic process, therapeutic process and follow-up of a thyroid carcinoma are addressed: - Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) and downstream proteins as a tool to differentiate between different thyroid pathologies - Thyroid function following hemithyroidectomy - Thyroid dysfunction following treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors - Clinical effects of genetic variation in deiodinases - Factors affecting quality of life in patients treated for DTC Show less
