What is 'Thyroid Cancer'? It is a cancer the affects the thyroid organ in the neck. There are four main types of Thyroid Cancer: Papillary, Follicular, Anaplastic and Medullary. If this is not the cancer type you're looking for, please explore the information about other types of Head and Neck Cancers.
Following a diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer, your cancer care team will discuss the treatment options including the possibility of participating in a clinical trial that is suitable for you. This is also a good time to consider if you would like a second opinion. The most suitable treatment for Thyroid Cancer depends on many things including:
size and location of the cancer
whether the cancer has spread
personal factors (e.g. age, general health and treatment history)
treatments available
your preferences for treatment.
Surgery is the main treatment for people with thyroid cancer. The aim of treatment is to surgically remove all thyroid cancer cells. Many people with thyroid cancer also receive radioactive iodine and thyroid hormone replacement. Some people will need other treatments such as radiation. Adding another form of treatment is known as adjuvant therapy. Radioactive iodine treatment is a form of internal radiation therapy, typically taken in a gel tablet form (with 1 to 3 days in hospital), to destroy any residual thyroid tissue and thyroid cancer cells left behind after surgery. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy is needed in patients who have had all of their thyroid removed. This is to replace the thyroid hormone in the body and to help slow the growth of any cancer cells to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. The treatments listed apply to most thyroid cancers.
Your doctor will explain details of the surgery, general risks and side effects of surgery. Ask your doctor if you have questions. They may recommend:
stopping blood thinners (e.g. aspirin) before surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding
special stockings to reduce the risk of blood clots
early mobilisation (i.e. not staying in bed) to reduce the risk of blood clots and chest infection
antibiotics to lower the risk of wound infection.
If you smoke, it is important that you consider stopping smoking before starting treatment to help reduce the risk of infection and recover after your treatment.
The main treatment for Thyroid Cancer is surgery. There are a number of operations that can be used to remove Thyroid Cancer . The type of operation used will depend on the size and location of the cancer. The different surgical options for Thyroid Cancer are:
Thyroid hormone replacement helps to keep your body’s metabolism at a normal healthy rate. If you do not have enough thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) you may have symptoms such as weight gain, constipation, brittle and dry hair, sluggishness and fatigue. Heart problems can occur in severe cases. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) may cause symptoms such as weight loss, chest pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat and feeling hot. For thyroid hormone replacement, your doctor will prescribe a tablet (every day for the rest of your life). You should take the tablet at the same time every day. Speak to your doctor about all other medications that you take, including dietary supplements such as iron and calcium.
Taking thyroxine also helps to reduce the risk of cancer coming back, or recurring, by lowering the thyroid stimulating hormone made by your body which can stimulate thyroid tissue growth. Lowering the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by taking thyroxine is called ‘TSH suppression’. A higher dose of thyroxine will be used for TSH suppression, if there is a higher risk of the cancer coming back (recurring). Your doctor will monitor the level of your TSH. Sometimes the dose will need to be adjusted, but it is important you do not increase your dose of thyroxine without speaking to your specialist.
The cancer cells take up radioactive iodine (called iodine–131) which causes the cancer cells to die. It is usually given to destroy remaining thyroid cells, not removed by surgery and any that may have spread. Radioactive iodine treatment is an option only for some people with the papillary and follicular types of thyroid cancer and often starts at least 4-5 weeks after surgery. For women who are pregnant and those who are breastfeeding, radioactive iodine treatment is not suitable. Your doctor will recommend stopping radioactive iodine treatment, before starting treatment.
Radiation therapy is rarely used as the main treatment in thyroid cancer. Sometimes external beam radiation therapy (X-rays applied from outside the body) may be used after surgery (adjuvant radiation therapy). Radiation therapy can be used in the following ways:
Chemotherapy works by destroying or damaging cancer cells. Chemotherapy is not commonly used for the treatment of most thyroid cancers. However, occasionally it is considered for people with advanced thyroid cancer who are no longer responding to other treatments or if you have anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Fortunately, advances in the treatment of cancer are part of routine cancer care. You may be offered participation in a clinical trial if available and relevant for your cancer type, which aim to discover or establish new treatment options for people with your type of cancer. The advantages and disadvantages of trial participation will be discussed with you before you are able to consider participation. Clinical trials are vital to help establish the best treatment for different types of cancer and can be a means of accessing new therapies that have proven value. If a treatment hasn’t been tested in enough patients to know it is safe or effective, then these treatments need to be tested in a clinical trial to prove whether they are truly beneficial for the treatment of your cancer.
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