Which of the following is used in the treatment of thyroid cancer?
Which of the following is used in the treatment of thyroid cancer?
$\mathrm{I}_{131}$
$U_{238}$
$\mathrm{Ra}_{224}$
$\mathrm{C}_{14}$
Solution
External radiation therapy and radioactive iodine therapy are used to treat thyroid cancer.
Related Theory
Radiation therapy may be given after surgery to kill any thyroid cancer cells that were not removed. Follicular and papillary thyroid cancers are sometimes treated with radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. RAI is taken by mouth and collects in any remaining thyroid tissue, including thyroid cancer cells that have spread to other places in the body. Since only thyroid tissue takes up iodine, the RAI destroys thyroid tissue and thyroid cancer cells without harming other tissue.