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.

For more info regarding thyroid symptoms please check http://www.thyroid-info-center.com/thyroid-cancer.htm or http://www.thyroid-info-center.com/thyroid-conditions.htm

There are tests and procedures that are used to determine whether one has thyroid cancer. They include:

A physical exam – You can feel your neck area for lumps and swelling.

Blood tests – TSH or thyroid-stimulating hormone levels can be measured. This reveals useful information in reference to a prognosis.

Needle biopsy – This is the means of removing cells from the thyroid gland and examining these cells using a microscope to find the cancer.

Imaging tests – These tests include ultrasound of the neck area to find swollen or enlarged lymph nodes.

Treatments And Drugs

Any treatment of thyroid cancer will depend on the type of cancer one has and the stage it is in. Your overall health and particular preferences will also affect the treatment received or recommended.

Surgery

There are operations used to treat cancer. Having an operation is one option usually taken by people already at risk. Such surgery could consist of:

Removing the thyroid (or a part of it). This procedure is referred to as thyroidectomy. Surgery for removing the entire thyroid gland is quite common for treating thyroid cancer. In many instances, the surgeon will leave small rims of thyroid tissue around parathyroid glands to reduce any risk of damage to parathyroid.

Removal of Lymph Nodes. When removing the thyroid gland, enlarged lymph nodes of the neck may be included in that removal. These can be tested for cancer cells.

This type of surgery is performed by making an incision into the skin on the base of the neck. There are risks of infection and bleeding associated with thyroid surgery. There can also be damage to the parathyroid glands during the course of surgery. This will cause low calcium levels in the body. Surgery of the thyroid gland also carries the risk of damage to nerves connected to the vocal cords. Damage to these nerves can cause paralysis of the vocal cords, hoarseness, or difficulty in breathing.

Hormone Therapy

Following thyroid cancer surgery, you may have to take thyroid hormone medication for life. These medications include levothyroxine such as in Levothroid, Synthroid, etc. There are two benefits to hormone therapy. One, it supplies missing hormones your thyroid would normally produce. The second benefit is that the hormone therapy suppresses the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH in the pituitary gland. Since high levels of TSH could possibly stimulate any remaining cancer cells to grow, the second benefit mentioned is very important.

There will be appointments set for you to get blood tests done to check your thyroid hormone levels every few months. Your doctor may require that this be continually done until your doctor finds the appropriate dosage for your specific case.

Radioactive Iodine

This form of thyroid cancer treatment uses large doses of a radioactive form of iodine. Radioactive iodine treatments are usually conducted after thyroidectomy. The purpose is to destroy any remaining healthy thyroid tissue and any microscopic areas of thyroid cancer that were missed during the surgery. Radioactive iodine treatment is also used when cancer recurs after treatment or if the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Radioactive iodine treatment can be administered in capsule form or liquid. This radioactive iodine is taken up by the thyroid cells or thyroid cancer cells. This ensures that there is a very low risk of harming the other cells in the body.

There are side effects to this treatment. These side effects include:

Nausea Drying of eyes Dryness in mouth Changes in sense of smell or taste Pain in neck or chest (where thyroid cancer may have spread)

In the first couple of days after treatment, the radioactive iodine leaves your body through the urine. You should take precautions and make sure that no one you come in contact with is exposed to this radiation. Pay particular attention to your proximity to pregnant women and children. Your physician may in fact provide specific guidance in this area.

External Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy can be conducted externally. It involves the use of a machine that points energy beams at targeted areas on the body. The patient lies on a table as still as possible while the machine moves around areas of the body. This treatment is only administered for a few minutes at a time. It can go on for several weeks with treatments administered daily.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a form of treatment that utilizes chemicals to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is usually administered intravenously. The chemicals in the drug used in chemotherapy travel through the entire body, destroying growing cancer cells rapidly.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are studies conducted to find treatments for illnesses. They often involve trying out a newly discovered form of treatment or drug to test its effectiveness. It is widely used for new cancer treatments or new ways to use existing cancer treatments. The advantage of volunteering for a clinical trial is that it provides you with the opportunity to try the latest options in cancer treatment. However, clinical trials do not guarantee a cure. If you tried everything else, this may be an option for you. Your physician can tell you if you are eligible to enroll in a clinical trial. These trials usually have specific requirements that the patients needs to satisfy such as pre-existing health conditions. Discuss the risks and benefits of enrolling in a trial with your physician.

What Do You Think?

I want to hear from you as well. As thyroid patients and practitioner, do you agree with my choices? Do you disagree? Do you have other developments or stories you feel should be included on the list? Share your thoughts and input now, and see what other thyroid patients and practitioners have to say.

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The Top Ten Thyroid Stories of the Decade originally appeared on About.com Thyroid Disease on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 15:39:37.

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Thyroid patients have many creative ways of their own to help remember to take their own medication, and more than 70 patients have shared their handy tips, tricks and ideas Find out what other thyroid patients are doing to keep from forgetting that all-important thyroid pill each day, in Readers Respond: How Do You Remember to Take Your Thyroid Medication?

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Remembering to Take Your Thyroid Pills originally appeared on About.com Thyroid Disease on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 14:46:26.

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If a woman is breastfeeding and has excessive iodine intake, this may cause hypothyroidism in her infant. (See abstract.)

After thyroid cancer, thyroid patients who have had withdrawal of levothyroxine — versus use of recombinant TSH (Thyrogen) — have similar rates of tumor recurrence and persistence. This suggests that for many thyroid cancer patients, use of Thyrogen, rather that withdrawal — which causes hypothyroidism and resulting symptoms — may be preferable. (See abstract.)

More Information

• Breastfeeding and Thyroid Disease: Frequently Asked Questions
  
• Thyroid Cancer

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Thyroid News from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism originally appeared on About.com Thyroid Disease on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 20:43:15.

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