Treatment for thyroid cancer

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your physical and mental health when preparing for treatment. In the hospital, preparing for treatment is also called prehabilitation or prehab.

The main treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. Depending on your situation, you might also have a type of radiotherapy and sometimes targeted drugs or chemotherapy.

There are different types of surgery for thyroid cancer. Surgery to remove your thyroid gland is called a thyroidectomy.  

Radiotherapy means the use of radiation, to treat cancer cells. You might have internal radiotherapy (radioactive iodine) or external radiotherapy for thyroid cancer. 

Targeted cancer drugs target those differences that help a cancer to grow and survive. You might have these drugs for all types of thyroid cancer.

Chemotherapy isn't a common treatment for most types of thyroid cancer. You might have it for anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Doctors will arrange for you to have tests and scans at regular follow up appointments.

Researchers are looking at ways to improve the treatment for thyroid cancer.