Thyroid Cancer

What is Thyroid Cancer?

Thyroid cancer starts when cells in the thyroid mutate and grow out of control. The majority of thyroid cancers are slow growing, or “indolent," and can be cured with treatment.

It’s normal to have few or no symptoms early on. One of the most common symptoms is a lump (growth) in your neck, called a nodule. This might be found during a routine physical, or you might notice it yourself. Other symptoms may start as the tumor grows and include:

A lump or swelling over your thyroid or elsewhere in your neck
Trouble swallowing or pain when swallowing
A cough that won’t go away, and you don’t have a cold
Hoarseness or other changes in your voice that don’t go away
Neck or throat pain
Swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck
Trouble breathing that feels like you are breathing through a straw

Schedule an appointment with a UR Medicine provider.

Call (585) 275-2901

UR Medicine's Treatments for Thyroid Cancer

Wilmot Cancer Institute is committed to providing the highest-quality treatment and care — through expert and innovative medicine, science, and education — for any patient burdened by any cancer within our region and beyond.

There are many treatment choices for thyroid cancer. Our experts from both Wilmot Cancer Institute and our Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism will work with you to develop a treatment plan.

If your provider thinks you may have thyroid cancer, you will need certain exams and tests to be sure. After reviewing your symptoms, health history, risk factors, and performing a physical exam, they may order blood tests or an ultrasound of your thyroid.

A biopsy is the only way to know for sure if you have thyroid cancer. This is usually done through fine-needle aspiration, during which a small needle is inserted through the skin and into the thyroid to collect small pieces of tissue for testing.

Common treatments include:

Surgery. This is the most common treatment for thyroid cancer, and the type of surgery depends on the size of the tumor and the type of thyroid cancer. Your surgeon may remove just the tumor (including an edge of healthy tissue surrounding it) or the entire gland.

Radioactive iodine (RAI). This treatment finds and destroys thyroid cells that were not taken out in surgery or that spread beyond the thyroid.

Thyroid hormone medicine. This type of treatment is needed after your thyroid gland has been removed, or if it's no longer making enough thyroid hormones. They can also slow the growth of any remaining cancer cells.

External radiation therapy. Strong X-rays or other beams of energy can be used to kill cancer cells. Radiation is often used for later stage cancers or those that have spread to other areas like the voice box or esophagus (swallowing tube).

Chemotherapy. This treatment uses strong medicines to kill cancer cells and keep them from growing. It's not often used to treat thyroid cancer, but it may be used if other treatments aren't working.

Targeted therapy. These medicines target specific changes found on some thyroid cancer cells. They may be used if other treatments aren't working, or if cancer comes back after treatment.

What Sets Us Apart?

UR Medicine's Wilmot Cancer Institute provides world-class cancer treatment and care and conducts pivotal research. The goal is to prevent and conquer cancer through innovation in science, patient care, education, and community outreach. Our Thyroid Cancer Clinic is run in collaboration with experienced endocrine surgeons, head and neck surgeons, pathology, and nuclear medicine services.