CLINICAL THYROIDOLOGY FOR PATIENTS
A publication of the American Thyroid Association

Table of Contents

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

Welcome to a new format for Clinical Thyroidology for Patients. This change came as a result of the new format for Clinical Thyroidology, a publication of the American Thyroid Association for physicians. This will allow for more articles to be reviewed with more succinct summaries and, most importantly, more details on what the studies mean for patients. Clinical Thyroidology for Patients is published on a monthly basis and includes summaries of research studies that were discussed in the previous month’s issue of Clinical Thyroidology. This means that you, the patients, are getting the latest information on thyroid research and treatment almost as soon as your physicians.

The Calendar of Events highlights educational forums and support groups that are organized around the country by members of the Alliance for Thyroid Patient Education. The Alliance member groups consist of: the American Thyroid Association, the Graves’ Disease Foundation, the Light of Life Foundation and ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association. In this issue, we are highlighting the Graves’ Disease Foundation as they report on their annual meeting held this past October.

IN THIS ISSUE, STUDIES ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• How aggressive should therapy be in patients with small thyroid cancers?
• How effective are new ultrasound tests in diagnosing thyroid cancer?
• Should all pregnant women be tested for thyroid disorders?
• What is the natural progression of subclinical hyperthyroidism?
• What is the cause of a severe form of Graves’ disease?

We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let us know what you want to see in this publication. I hope you find these summaries interesting and informative.

— Alan P. Farwell, MD