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Multidisciplinary Care
Teams of physicians from from the departments of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, Head & Neck Surgery and Surgical Endocrinology are experienced in the management of the whole spectrum of thyroid cancers including papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic types.
Thyroid cancer patients are treated in our Endocrine Center.
Pediatric patients are treated in our Children's Cancer Hospital.
Multimodality Treatment
The primary treatment methods for thyroid cancer are:
- Thyroidectomy - surgery to remove the cancerous gland
- Radioactive iodine - used to destroy any cancerous cells remaining in the body after surgery
- Thyroid hormone suppression therapy
M. D. Anderson’s clinical researchers have demonstrated that this three-step protocol is highly successful for patients with papillary or follicular thyroid cancers. However, when these cancers have metastasized (spread) beyond the thyroid, the cancer may not absorb enough iodine. In this case, M. D. Anderson experts will consider a more aggressive approach to eliminate the cancer. For those with medullary thyroid cancer, most patients are successfully treated with surgery alone.
Further treatments may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or a combination of the two treatments. For some patients, care is provided in clinical trials evaluating new therapies for advanced thyroid cancer.
Followup Care
At M. D. Anderson, caring for cancer means caring for our patients after they have left the center. Because the thyroid has been removed, physicians will prescribe a daily dose of thyroid hormone in the form of a tablet to maintain normal metabolic functions. Followup visits and routine exams will be scheduled to regulate the body’s hormone level and to ensure that those who once were with cancer remain without. | 
