Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are some of the options for treating thyroid cancer. This eMedTV article discusses the treatment of this disease, including information about side effects, nutrition, and follow-up care.
The stage of the disease is one of the most important factors affecting thyroid cancer treatment. This eMedTV page breaks down options for thyroid cancer treatment by stage of the disease and provides links to additional information.
As this eMedTV segment explains, surgery is the most common treatment for thyroid cancer. This eMedTV article explains the different types of thyroid surgery and talks about what you can expect from your procedure.
As a treatment for thyroid cancer, chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. This eMedTV Web page explains how chemotherapy is used to treat thyroid cancer and discusses potential side effects of the treatment (such as hair loss).
Radiation treatment for thyroid cancer uses high-energy rays to kill the cancer cells. This eMedTV article provides information about how radiation treatment is administered, typical treatment schedules, and potential side effects of the treatment.
Radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer treatment uses I-131 to destroy cancer cells. This eMedTV resource explains how radioactive iodine is used to treat thyroid cancer and discusses potential side effects of the treatment.
Hormone treatment for thyroid cancer often follows surgery or other treatments for the disease. This eMedTV resource discusses how hormone treatment can slow the growth of cancer cells and stresses the importance of maintaining proper hormone levels.
For people who are coping with thyroid cancer, support can come from several different sources. This eMedTV Web page discusses thyroid cancer support groups and identifies other potential sources of support, such as social workers.
In cases of thyroid cancer, pain can often be managed with medications. This section of the eMedTV Web site discusses methods doctors may use to reduce or relieve pain associated with thyroid cancer, such as radiation therapy and nerve blocks.
People often find that alternative thyroid cancer treatments help reduce stress and minimize side effects. This eMedTV resource discusses some alternative ways to treat this disease and includes a list of questions to ask your doctor about such methods.
The overall five-year relative thyroid cancer survival rate for 1995-2001 was 96.6 percent. This eMedTV article provides survival rates for thyroid cancer based on race, sex, and stage of the cancer at diagnosis.
For some people with thyroid cancer, questions for the doctor can be difficult to remember. This eMedTV Web page provides lists of questions that people with thyroid cancer may wish to ask their doctor about treatment for the disease.
