The second possibility is antithyroid drugs. Two of them are commonly used. Named Tapazole and PTU. And these medications are taken for approximately a two-year course and can effect a cure in a percentage of patients that's quite variable. Let's say from 30-50 percent. And the third option is surgery, which is not commonly used, but there are special circumstances in which it might be recommended.
HOLLY ATKINSON, MD: Rick, what are the most common approaches today?
RICHARD HABER, MD: As Melissa said, I think the two most common in the United States are either the antithyroid drugs -- the route of taking medication for a year or two in hopes of inducing a remission of the underlying disease -- or definitively curing the disease by basically getting rid of your thyroid gland, which is what the radioiodine does. And that --
HOLLY ATKINSON, MD: Well, is there a preponderance of which approach is used now?
MELISSA KATZ, MD: In the United --
HOLLY ATKINSON, MD: Drugs versus --
MELISSA KATZ, MD: I think in the United States, radioiodine is most commonly used. Whereas in Europe and Japan, antithyroid medication is more common.
RICHARD HABER, MD: Europeans also like to use surgery, which is something that's become much less popular in the United States. That is, to cut out most of the thyroid rather than destroy it with radioiodine. The end result is the same, it's just a question of preference.
