Overview
Thyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland sits in the lower middle portion of the neck and consists of a right and left lobe.
Various cancers may arise in the thyroid gland, the most common of which is papillary thyroid cancer.
Causes
However, quite often patients with thyroid cancer may have none of these risk factors.
Detection & Treatment
Examination and Tests
After the examination, your doctor will arrange for two tests:
If there are any suspicious features, your doctor will arrange a needle test to determine if the lump is cancerous.
Treatment
In general, most papillary thyroid cancers are curable with surgery, although additional treatment may be required.
Based on the results of the ultrasound and needle test, your doctor will explain the type of thyroid cancer you have, how it will affect you and whether surgery is recommended.
1. Surgery
During the surgery, your surgeon may remove either the thyroid lobe with the tumour or both thyroid lobes. The extent of surgery depends on several factors, such as your age and the size of the tumour.
2. Radioactive Iodine Therapy
This once-off treatment is usually recommended for aggressive cancers.
You will be asked to ingest radioactive iodine in liquid form, which targets and kills cancerous thyroid cells in any part of the body. There is little effect on the rest of the body.
Possible Risks of Surgery
The main risk of the surgery is to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which is attached to the voice box and runs just next to the thyroid gland. Your voice may change if the nerve is damaged during the surgery.
The other main risk of surgery occurs only if both thyroid lobes are removed, which affect calcium levels in your body.
The long term survival rates for most thyroid cancers are good and majority of patients have normal life expectancy after recovery.
Care Management
Our Surgeons are highly trained to ensure the removal of the cancer and affected thyroid gland precision, while ensuring maximum function of the laryngeal nerve and preservation of the parathyroid glands.
Our aim is the same as yours – to fight off the cancer and return you to an ideal quality of life.
Specialties & Services
