Iodine I 131 in Treating Patients With Thyroid Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of thyroid cancer
• Measurable disease by CT scan or nuclear medicine imaging
• Eligible, by standard of care criteria, for iodine I 131 therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective non-barrier method contraception (e.g., combined or progesterone-only oral contraceptive pill, intrauterine device, depot progesterone, or stable relationship with a partner who has had a vasectomy)
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• No nonthyroidal conditions known to affect iodine I 131 uptake (e.g., New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure or renal failure)
• No alcoholism or drug abuse within the past 2 years
• No severe emotional, behavioral, or psychiatric problems that would preclude study compliance (e.g., severe claustrophobia)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No intravenous water-soluble radiographic contrast within the past 4 weeks
• No iodinated contrast agent within the past 3 months
• No concurrent drugs that may affect thyroid or renal function (e.g., renal drugs, lithium, amiodarone, other iodine-containing medication, or corticosteroids)
• No other concurrent investigational drugs