Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association
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131I treatment (tx) of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is associated with hematopoietic toxicity. It was hypothesized that metformin could have radioprotective effects on bone-marrow function. The objective was to determine whether metformin prevents 131I-induced changes in complete blood counts (CBC) in patients with DTC. ⋯ Metformin attenuated the 131I-induced decrease in CBC parameters, and its radioprotective properties were more prominent in WBC. Patients who were taking metformin during 131I tx also experienced a faster recovery in their blood counts, when compared to the control group. Further study is warranted in order to examine if the radioprotective properties of metformin observed in the current study for 131I tx can also apply to other forms of therapeutic chemo- and radiotherapy.