The thyroid is a gland that is in the front of your neck. If it is a normal size, you can’t feel it. But it rests on both sides of your windpipe (trachea).
Even though it is small, the thyroid gland has a large role in your overall health. It plays an important part in metabolism and weight, heart health, body temperature, and more. Thyroid issues are common in adults. So physicians often order lab work to test their hormone levels as part of an annual checkup.
How Does Thyroid Cancer Develop?
Like most cancers, if the cells in the thyroid start to grow uncontrollably, it is considered a cancer. These cells form a lump in the gland. These lumps are called nodules. Most nodules in the thyroid are not cancerous (benign) and can cause other issues. About 1 in 10 of these nodules are cancerous.
Most patients who get diagnosed with thyroid cancer do not have a nodule that is large enough to feel with their hands. Many also don’t have symptoms. A checkup each year is helpful and important for finding this disease early.
WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman treat both cancerous and non-cancerous thyroid nodules. Our team of experts includes endocrinologists, head and neck surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists.
Our Siteman care coordinators – oncology-trained nurses who help with scheduling, finding the right specialist, and guidance – can help you through the process.
Call us directly or submit a form, and we will call you back.
Kinds of Thyroid Cancer
Siteman experts have experience treating every type of thyroid cancer. Some of these kinds include:
- Papillary thyroid cancer
- Follicular thyroid cancer
- Medullary thyroid cancer
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer
These cancers range from very common and treatable to rare and aggressive. This is why our WashU Medicine physicians carefully assess new patients. Our complete diagnostic process includes several tests, so we are sure about your diagnosis. Siteman sees about 200 new patients for thyroid cancer each year.
Why Choose Siteman
About 200 new patients with thyroid cancer choose Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine for their care each year. These patients have personal reasons for coming to us. Some want to be at an academic research institution, so they have access to cutting-edge treatments. Others want a second opinion and more clinical trial options.
Whatever a patient’s reason for selecting us for their care, we create a unique treatment plan for them. Our work starts with learning their exact diagnosis. From there, we gather a team of experts from different specialties like endocrinology, pathology, radiology, and more. We call this kind of collaboration “multidisciplinary care.” Cancer does not follow rules or play fair. Multidisciplinary care is our best response to fighting back.
Experts in Radiofrequency Ablation
Surgery is almost always part of the treatment you would get for thyroid cancer. But not every patient can have surgery. WashU Medicine physicians are experts in non-surgical procedures like radiofrequency ablation. Patients are awake for the procedure, so it is safe for people who can’t have anesthesia. Radiofrequency ablation is very effective for treating thyroid nodules that are very small or that are non-cancerous.
Innovative Surgical Procedures
WashU Medicine head and neck surgeons at Siteman are known around the world for their skill in scarless thyroidectomy. Because surgeons remove nodules through the mouth and not the neck, scars are invisible to others. The “scarless” procedure is a surgical option for some patients.
Clinical Trials
WashU Medicine physician-researchers lead and participate in clinical trials to benefit their patients. Clinical trials are a way to develop alternative treatments for patients. Standard care, like surgery and radioactive iodine aren’t always an option for patients. Our research is discovering new approaches and procedures that are safe and effective. And research like our radiation oncologist’s study on IMRT can show how well treatments can protect your quality of life during and after treatment.
Clinical trials are research studies that help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. If you have a rare or complex diagnosis or your treatment path seems uncertain, you might qualify for a clinical trial.
Our team will help you find a study that is right for you. Call us to speak with a Siteman care coordinator.
