Fact 12: Treatment of Thyroid Cancer
The treatment plan for thyroid cancer is tailored to the individual patient, taking into consideration the type and stage of cancer, the person’s overall health, and their preferences. The mainstay of treatment is typically surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland, a procedure known as a thyroidectomy.
Depending on the extent of the cancer, lymph nodes in the neck may also need to be removed during the surgery. While this is a complex procedure, it’s generally safe when performed by experienced surgeons. After surgery, thyroid hormone therapy is necessary to supply the body with the necessary hormones the thyroid would normally produce.
In some cases, after the surgery, radioactive iodine therapy is used. This treatment uses large doses of a form of iodine that’s radioactive to kill any thyroid cancer cells that were not removed during surgery or that have spread to other parts of the body. It’s a potent treatment, but it’s not suitable for all types of thyroid cancer.
External radiation therapy, where high-energy beams are used to kill cancer cells, might be employed if the cancer is not responsive to radioactive iodine treatment. Chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy are other potential treatments, typically reserved for advanced thyroid cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. (12)
