Thyroid Cancer Management

Initial treatment

There are many different options for managing thyroid cancer. The most common treatments include surgical removal of the cancer followed by radioactive iodine therapy (called remnant ablation) to kill both normal thyroid and thyroid cancer cells. You should consult with your doctor on the best treatment for you.

Surgery may involve partial or total thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland). After a total thyroidectomy, most patients undergo remnant ablation. This is an important step, since it should help clear all potentially cancerous thyroid cells that may not have been removed during surgery.

In remnant ablation, patients take a drink or a capsule that contains radioactive iodine (RAI), also called radioiodine. Any remaining thyroid cells should take up the RAI, which will kill the cells. You should discuss whether partial surgery or total and remnant ablation are right for you with your doctor.

After your initial treatment has been completed, your doctor will usually recommend that you be placed on thyroid hormone suppression therapy (THST). THST consists of taking a hormone (thyroxine T4) that essentially replaces the hormones that would have been produced by your thyroid gland. During THST, the hormones you are taking will take over the thyroid’s role in regulating your body. This means that you will likely be able to go about your normal life after treatment with very few differences. Additionally, this hormone will suppress the levels of a thyroid stimulant hormone (called TSH), which could increase your chances of a thyroid cancer recurrence.

After initial therapy

After your initial therapy, your doctor will probably want to confirm that all of your cancer was removed. To do this, he or she will most likely conduct at least one whole body scan (WBS) and thyroglobulin (Tg) test to check for thyroid activity.

After completing your initial treatment, you should be able to get back to your regular activities very quickly. Your doctor will still want to see you fairly regularly in the first few years following successful therapy just to make sure that you’re still cancer free. It’s extremely important to keep going to your doctor for your scheduled follow-up visits, since catching a recurrence earlier is more likely to result in successful treatment.

Getting back to your life

While at first it may feel like thyroid cancer has taken over your life, once you’ve been through your initial treatment and are taking thyroid hormone therapy, your life may settle into a more normal routine.

Your doctor may recommend some things you’ll want to incorporate into your life that will help you take good care of yourself and stay healthy. They include:

The following pages in this section will explain what you might expect in the years following your initial therapy. You’ll find statistics about recurrence patterns, read about the tests you may be having, and find out more about options for follow-up testing. As in all cases, you should consult regularly with your doctor regarding your options for managing thyroid cancer.