Thyroid Cancer Care

Multidisciplinary Cancer Experts

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) Cancer Center specialists promptly diagnose and effectively treat all types of thyroid cancers. If you have one of these complex cancers, you’ll be cared for by a combination of these highly trained specialty providers:

Thyroid Cancer

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland in the front of the neck. Thyroid cancer occurs when cells in the thyroid gland grow out of control and produce malignant (cancerous) tumors. Each year, approximately 44,000 Americans are diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Fortunately, most thyroid cancers are slow-growing and survival is excellent with appropriate treatment. 

Screening & Diagnostic Tests

Thyroid cancer is usually detected with an ultrasound of the neck and confirmed with a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. Your doctor will recommend one or more of these tests to diagnose thyroid cancer:

• Thyroid ultrasound
• Blood tests
• Fine needle aspirations (FNA) biopsies
• CT scan or Ultrasound to evaluate the lymph nodes of the neck

Depending on your diagnosis and your personal risk factors, your doctor may recommend you have cancer genetic testing.

Treatments We Offer

Surgery is the mainstay of thyroid cancer treatment for almost all types of thyroid cancer. Depending on the characteristic of your thyroid cancer and other circumstances, your doctor may recommend thyroid lobectomy (removal of half of the thyroid gland), total thyroidectomy (removal of the entire thyroid gland), or active surveillance (careful monitoring changes to the cancer over time). A minority of patients may require additional treatments following surgery, such as radioactive iodine ablation (a radioactive pill to prevent the cancer from coming back).

At BIDMC, our expert multidisciplinary team will take excellent care of you throughout your care journey from diagnosis to treatment to surveillance. We offer a Thyroid Nodule Clinic, which is a multidisciplinary clinic involving endocrinologists and surgeons, where thyroid nodules are evaluated and biopsied. If a thyroid cancer is detected on biopsy, our high-volume surgeons will recommend personalized surgical treatment for your disease. At BIDMC, we offer advanced intraoperative adjuncts including ultrasound and nerve monitoring to ensure the best surgical outcomes. Following surgery, our team of surgeons and endocrinologists will guide you through the rest of your care, including radioactive iodine ablation if necessary, thyroid hormone management, and surveillance for recurrence.

Thyroid Cancer Surgery

If your cancer care team suggests surgery, your endocrine surgeon will perform one of these procedures:

Surgeons typically perform these operations by making an incision (cut) on the outside of your neck. When possible, surgeons use minimally invasive and laparoscopic techniques. These procedures use small incisions so you’ll have quicker healing, less downtime and minimal scarring.