Clinician’s Awareness and Knowledge on the Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer and the Use of Radioactive Iodine in Tanzania
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Date
2016
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Abstract
Introduction: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy worldwide with better outcome if
timely and properly managed. Surgery followed by radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation remains the mainstay
in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). In Tanzania however, few patients with DTC
receive RAI ablation post-surgery, and most of these present late, with advanced disease resulting in poor
treatment outcome. The objective of this study was to determine the cause for late referral by assessing
clinician’s awareness and knowledge on the management of DTC and the use of RAI in Tanzania.
Methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in referral hospitals in Tanzania. Data
collection used a standardized self-administered questionnaire. Information sought included awareness,
knowledge and practices of clinicians on the management and the use of RAI on patients with DTC was
explored.
Results: Majority of clinicians managing DTC patients were males (86%), in-training surgeons (54%), and
attended less than ten DTC patients per year (62%). About 44% of in-training surgeons never heard of
nuclear medicine (p=0.04), and 20% were not aware of the role of RAI in the management of DTC (p=0.031).
Only 7.3% of surgeons were aware of the role of thyroxine therapy, or RAI ablation post-surgery. Of all DTC
patients managed surgically, only 16% had total thyroidectomy with lymphadenectomy (p=0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate there is insufficient knowledge on proper management and
use of RAI on patients with DTC among clinicians in Tanzania.
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Keywords
Differentiated, Thyroid, Cancer, Radioiodine, Clinicians, Tanzania
Citation
Sakafu, L.L., Mselle, T., Mwaiselage, J., Msengwa, A., Maunda, K. and Eddin, B.S., 2016. Clinician’s awareness and knowledge on the management of differentiated thyroid cancer and the use of radioactive iodine in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 18(2).