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Thyroid Cancer Management Initial treatment There are several different approaches for managing thyroid cancer. The most common treatment includes surgical removal of the cancer followed by radiation therapy (called remnant ablation) to kill both normal and cancerous thyroid 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, some patients undergo remnant ablation. This is intended to help clear all potentially cancerous thyroid cells that may not have been removed during surgery. It also may help with monitoring for recurrences. 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 help kill the cells. This process uses a greater amount of radiation than a routine whole body scan, and is generally well tolerated. You should discuss the risks associated with RAI with your doctor. After your initial treatment has been completed, you may be placed on thyroid hormone suppression therapy (THST). THST consists of taking hormones (T3 and/or T4) that essentially replace the hormones that would have been produced by your thyroid gland. This is important, because if you did not have these thyroid hormones, your body would try to stimulate more thyroid activity, which could increase your chances of a thyroid cancer recurrence. Additionally, during THST, the hormones you are taking will help replace 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. Evaluation of your initial therapy After your initial therapy, your doctor may want to determine if there is remaining cancerous tissue. To do this, he or she may likely conduct at least one whole body scan (WBS) to check for thyroid activity. You can read more about WBS in the Follow-up area.
If your treatment has been successful, 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 to make sure that you’re still cancer free. It’s extremely important to keep going to your doctor for your scheduled checkups, 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. These 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 see if Thyrogen® may be right for you in your follow-up testing. As in all cases, you should consult regularly with your doctor regarding your options for managing thyroid cancer. Please see important safety information below.
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