COMMENTARY ON THE TREATMENT OF THYROID-NODULES WITH THYROID-HORMONE

It is debatable whether treatment of thyroid nodules with thyroid horm ones is effective, results of clinical trials, even randomized, being inconclusive, none of them showing significant efficacy of this therap y. Two questions remain unanswered: what is the natural history of the se nodules and is it possible to identify patients with these heteroge neous lesions who will respond to treatment? Currently available study data show a marked level of spontaneous regression or even total disa ppearance of the nodules. Further long-term clinical trials appear ind icated, including a sufficient number of patients and a large cohort o f untreated patients.