Hormone Treatment for Thyroid Cancer

Hormone treatment for thyroid cancer is usually given after surgery for patients with papillary and follicular cancer. In some cases of thyroid cancer, hormone treatment may also be used after radioactive iodine therapy. While hormone treatment for thyroid cancer rarely causes side effects, it may result in rash or hair loss during the first months of treatment. If thyroid hormone levels are too high or too low, other side effects may develop.

Thryoid Cancer Treatment-Overview

Hormone Treatment for Thyroid Cancer: An Overview

Hormone treatment after surgery is usually part of the thyroid cancer treatment plan for papillary and follicular cancer. When a patient takes thyroid hormone pills, the growth of any remaining thyroid cancer cells slows down, which lowers the chance that the disease will return. After surgery or radioactive iodine treatment (which removes or destroys thyroid tissue), people with thyroid cancer may need to take thyroid hormone pills to replace the natural thyroid hormone.

(Click Types of Thyroid Cancer for more information about papillary cancer and follicular cancer.)

Side Effects of Hormone Treatment for Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid hormone pills seldom cause side effects. However, in rare cases, side effects may include rash or hair loss during the first months of treatment. After treatment, doctors will closely monitor the level of thyroid hormone in the blood during follow-up visits.

An excess of thyroid hormone (also known as hyperthyroidism) may cause patients to:

Lose weight
Feel hot and sweaty
Experience chest pain
Have cramps
Get diarrhea.

If the thyroid hormone level is too low (a condition known as hypothyroidism), patients may:

Gain weight
Feel cold
Have dry skin and hair.

If necessary, the doctor will adjust the dose of the hormone treatment so that the patient receives the right amount.