It is the metabolic rate of your body that determines if it functions properly or not. Your body’s metabolism is controlled by the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck. Just like other organs of the body, your thyroid gland is susceptible to being diagnosed with cancer.
As a result, it becomes important for people to be conscious enough to keep testing their thyroid to detect the presence of any disease. Thyrogen is used to test your blood to identify if you have any thyroid diseases.
Thyrogen History
Thyrogen is a protein that has been designed to resemble the natural thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved Thyrogen in 1998 and allowed it to be used in diagnosing thyroid diseases. It was in 2007 when Thyrogen was allowed to be used in preparations for the treatment of thyroid tissue with radioiodine ablation.
This was done in the case of those already diagnosed with well-differentiated thyroid cancer that remained limited to the neck. It was also allowed for use for patients who had undergone a complete thyroidectomy.
How Thyrogen Works
Thyrogen checks your blood for a hormone called thyroglobulin after you are diagnosed with some type of thyroid cancer. It is a prescribed medication that the doctor gives as two injections before one goes for radioactive iodine ablation or diagnostic methods to detect a well-differentiated form of thyroid cancer.
Thyrogen also makes sure the person’s cancer does not spread to other parts of the body. The injection is given into the buttock muscle for two consecutive days. If you have been recommended for ablation or diagnostic testing, you have to follow a particular schedule.
For ablation, you need to go for Thyrogen injection for two consecutive days and a radioactive iodine dose for the third day. After three to seven days of the third day’s dose, you are prescribed to go for a post-ablation scan.
For diagnostic testing, the first two days are for Thyrogen injection, the third day will be for the radioactive iodine dose to ensure a better whole-body scan. The next day is off. On the following day, you have to go for serum thyroglobulin with or without a whole-body scan.
About The Company
Sanofi Genzyme is a subsidiary specialty care global business of Sanofi, which is among rarely found units that make Thyrogen available in the US. The company focuses on rare diseases that disturb the lives of many people worldwide. Based on the research conducted on rarely found diseases, sclerosis, immunology, and other fields, the company tries to market medicated products that can help patients keep control on the spread of such infections and diseases.
Sanofi Genzyme makes around 19 such products available to consumers so that they can get assisted with some therapeutic issues. It also provides healthcare professionals to help you undergo the diagnostic tests and ablation. You can contact the company anytime and they will respond to your query or requirement as soon as possible.
Why Is Thyrogen Needed?
Through an SF-36 Health Survey, surveyors tried to figure out how the quality of people’s life improves after taking Thyrogen injections. The physical and mental functioning of patients both were taken into consideration before reaching an inference. After the survey, it was concluded that majority of people’s lives changed from the original baseline.
Even after the thyroid hormone withdrawal, it was found that Thyrogen administration prevented patients from acquiring hypothyroidism.
What Are The Benefits?
- Thyrogen helps in improving the quality of life of patients, according to the survey stated above.
- It detects diseases associated with the thyroid gland.
- It also keeps thyroid cancer limited to the neck and prevents it from spreading all over the body.
- It has long-term success rates.
- Under the Patient Assistance Program, patients are allowed to get financial assistance as well based on some eligibility criteria.
What Are The Risks/Side Effects Associated With Thyrogen?
- Patients above 65 should only opt for it after consulting their physician.
- Pregnant patients should also consult their doctors before taking it.
- Thyrogen may lead to nausea and headache.
- Undesired thyroid tissue or cancer cells are likely to turn out more dangerous and become more painful if they remain after the surgery
- Not declared safe or effective for children yet.
- Thyrogen effectiveness is quite lower in patients with kidney issues and undergoing dialysis.
Thyrogen Conclusion
Thyrogen is undoubtedly an effective way of controlling thyroid cancer, but it is, at the same, risky for patients with certain health conditions. Whether your body is fit for the dose or you should avoid it is a question that can only be answered by a healthcare professional.
It is, therefore, recommended that you visit an expert before deciding to go for Thyrogen injections.
