According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 37,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed in 2009. Thyroid cancer starts in the thyroid gland, which is an organ that helps produce hormones that aid in controlling blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and weight. There are four types of standard treatments for thyroid cancer: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and thyroid hormone therapy.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common type of treatment for thyroid cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. It can include the removal of the lobe where cancer was found, removal of part or all of the thyroid, or removal of cancerous lymph nodes.
Radiation Therapy
This is a type of therapy where X-rays or other forms of radiation are used to kill cancer cells. Sometimes radioactive iodine therapy is used in thyroid cancer. This is when a radioactive iodine substance is swallowed, and since the thyroid absorbs iodine, it is able to attack the cancerous cells in the thyroid without damaging other organs.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treats the cancer by using medicine that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and helps kill them. It can be given intravenously or taken orally, depending on the regimen being used.
Thyroid Hormone Therapy
For thyroid cancer, hormones that stop the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, may be given. TSH may increase the risk that thyroid cancer will return.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are studies that allow researchers to explore new treatments for diseases. Patients on these trials are carefully monitored throughout the study and can stop participation at any time. Currently, in 2009, the National Cancer Institute is looking at clinical trials involving targeted therapy, which are drugs that target cancer cells while not harming healthy tissue.
