Treatments for thyroid cancers involve various procedures and depend on the type and stage of the cancer. Moreover, the procedures used to treat thyroid cancer can cure the affection and improve the life of the patient. Statistics have proved that for the most common forms of papillary and papillary follicular thyroid cancer the 5 and 10 year survival rates are in excess of 95%.



To begin with, a common procedure is the external radiation therapy or x-ray radiation and it is usually used when the thyroid cancer cannot be totally removed. X-ray radiation is produced from an external source by cobalt beam and is prescribed in small doses over a 4 to 6 week interval. It is important to note that this procedure may have certain side effects such as formations of small blood vessels and pigment darkening of the skin.

Secondly, another common procedure is the radioactive iodine therapy, a special therapy that is used post-operatively. In addition to this, radioactive iodine therapy is not a hard procedure but for patients who suffer froma severe form of thyroid cancer and need a high dose of radiation, isolation in the hospital may be required. Radioactive iodine is usually administered in capsules or liquid and in order to have an important result, thyroid replacement (tablets) are withheld during this time. Even though patients may face certain side effects as pains, discomfort, the thyroid replacement helps considerably and moreover it has been considered that TSH injections have not had to stop their thyroid tablets. The treatment that includes radioactive iodine is quite safe and in many cases can be repeated in order to heal the thyroid cancer that has come back again. On the other hand, this type of therapy may produce certain insignificant side effects such as transient neck discomfort, alteration in taste and also decreased saliva formation.

Thirdly, after following surgery and radioactive iodine, the next step is the administration of thyroid hormone pills. Thyroid hormone have the role to ensure a proper metabolism and also stops the recurrence of the tumor by suppressing the pituitary hormone, thyrotropin (TSH) which is responsible for the cancer appereance. In addition, patients who follow this treatment are treated with dosages which are good enough to mantain the serum TSH level below normal in order to prevent the cancer. Much more, patients should visit regularly the doctor in order to be examined and perform various tests that can show if the patient is completely cured or the disease tends to develop again. Furthermore, chest x-ray and neck ultrasound may be required in order to find out if the cancer has not persisted or recurred.