A member asked:

If i get thyroid cancer, would i be able to get rid of it using radioactive treatment?

6 doctors weighed in across 4 answers
Dr. Liawaty Ho answered

Specializes in Hematology and Oncology

Thyroid cancer: It will depend on the type of thyroid cancer- whether it is differentiated or undifferentiated. Treatment will include surgery to remove thyroid cancer- either total or partial-then depending on the surgical margin, lymph nodes involvement, possible residual disease etc- if the cancer is differentiated then a radioiodine therapy will be helpful. Not in the undifferentiated type however.

Answered 3/27/2012

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Not by itself : For most thyroid cancers, surgery is the treatment of choice. Depending on the stage, surgery may need to be followed by radioactive iodine. The majority of cancers are completely removed in this manner, although follow up is important to check for recurrence.

Answered 3/27/2012

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Not alone: Thyroid cancer has many types. Those that produce colloid will often respond to radioablative (radioactive) iodine therapy. However, the volume of radiation required to achieve this without doing surgery first is too high to be clinically useful. The tumor does need to take up iodine for the therapy to work.

Answered 7/5/2012

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Some cancers: Some cancers of the thyroid are functional and concentrate iodine. Such cancers are susceptible to treatment with radioactive iodine. The tumors that do not concentrate iodine would not be suitable for radio iodine treatment.

Answered 5/6/2013

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