Thyrogen seems to be a new drug with limited information about how it compares with the old way of doing things, namely withdrawal of thyroid hormone. How good is it?
We do not yet have long term follow-up data for thousands of patients who had Thyrogen scans. Nevertheless, as Thyrogen is a recombinant protein version of the protein normally produced in our bodies (TSH), it is expected to be safe. Other recombinant human proteins have been used as pharmaceuticals for many years without problems (insulin growth hormone, erythropoetin etc). To compare the diagnostic accuracy of Thyrogen testing versus withdrawal from thyroid hormone, see Analysis of the Results of Phase III Controlled Clinical Trials with Recombinant Human Thyrotropin: Developing a Clinical Guide. Endocr Pract. 2000 Oct;6(5):391-395. Although earlier studies suggested that Thyrogen scans were about 5-10% less accurate in detecting thyroid cancer recurrence compared to thyroid hormone withdrawal, some retrospective studies suggest that the results obtained with the 2 techniques may be comparable. See Preparation by Recombinant Human Thyrotropin or Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal Are Compara
