How are thyroid tumors treated?
Thyroid nodules may need to be removed surgically, or they may just need to be monitored for growth or changes. Thyroid cancer usually needs to be treated. Your treatment plan will depend on your age, overall health, and the type and stage of your cancer, and may include:
Surgery - Surgery is the primary treatment for the vast majority of thyroid cancers. Our surgeons will remove part or all of the thyroid gland to get rid of the cancer. We can often use minimally invasive technique, such as transoral thyroidectomy, which removes the thyroid via an incision in the lip, without a visible neck incision. Surgery may also involve removal of lymph nodes in the neck. We will talk to you about what surgical option might be best in your case.
Radioactive Iodine Treatment - For thyroid cancer and hyperactive thyroid disease, Miami Cancer Institute offers radioactive iodine therapy. Administered orally either in the hospital or on an outpatient basis, the radioiodine gets absorbed by the thyroid gland and destroys cells, including cancer cells, that cause symptoms.
Hormone therapy - Certain hormones can help treat thyroid cancer and help keep thyroid hormone levels normal.
External Beam Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy may be used, particularly in advanced cases of thyroid cancer.
Proton therapy - This method delivers high doses of radiation to the tumor while sparing nearby tissues. Miami Cancer Center was one of the first center in the United States to offer proton therapy.
Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy - Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells and control their growth. Immunotherapy targets specific cells or cell receptors and is used with increasing frequency with thyroid cancer. Both may be combined with other treatments to assist with the destruction of cancer cells
