Treatment Of Thyroid Cancer
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| Treatment of Thyroid Cancer |
The type of treatment of thyroid cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Some cancers, such as papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, and some medullary thyroid carcinomas, have a better chance of recovery. This type of thyroid cancer is treated by surgical removal of the thyroid gland, and may be combined with radiotherapy.
Here are some treatment steps to deal with thyroid cancer:
- Thyroidectomy. This procedure is performed to remove the thyroid gland, either partially (hemitiroidektomi) or the whole (total thyroidectomy). This procedure depends on the type and size of thyroid cancer, and whether it has spread to other body parts. Patients are encouraged to rest for 2-3 weeks after surgery to avoid weight-bearing activities on the neck.
- Hormone replacement therapy. Patients will not be able to produce hormones that regulate the body's metabolic system after performing thyroidectomy procedures. Therefore patients will need hormone replacement tablets for life. Regular blood tests need to be done to adjust the dose and monitor the right hormone levels for the body.
- Arrangement of calcium levels. Surgical removal of the thyroid gland often affects the parathyroid gland. The parathyroid gland is located near the thyroid gland and acts to regulate the levels of calcium in the blood. Therefore, calcium levels must also continue to be considered.
- Radioactive iodine treatment. This treatment serves to destroy the cancer cells that are still there and prevent it from appearing again after undergoing surgery. Side effects that may occur due to this procedure are nausea, dry mouth, dry eyes, and the sense of taste and smell that changed.
- External radiotherapy. In this procedure, radioactive waves are directed to the affected part of the body. This treatment is usually done to treat advanced stage cancer or anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. The duration of radiotherapy itself depends on the type of cancer and its development.
- Chemotherapy. This procedure is usually only used to treat anaplastic thyroid carcinoma that has spread to other body parts. Patients will be given a very powerful drug to kill cancer cells. This treatment can not cure anaplastic cancer completely, but can slow the development of cancer and help relieve symptoms that arise from thyroid cancer.
Complications of Thyroid Cancer
Untreated thyroid cancer may reappear, although the thyroid gland has been removed through surgical procedures. This can happen because the cancer cells that have spread to the outside of the thyroid gland. Re-emergence of thioroid cancer usually occurs within five years after surgery, but may also appear decades after initial treatment.
Reappearance of this cancer can occur in the lymph nodes in the neck, thyroid gland tissue that is still left behind during surgery, or in other body parts. To detect signs of recurrence, the doctor will recommend that patients perform blood tests and thyroid scans at regular intervals.