Treatment for Thyroid Cancer and other Endocrine Cancers
Our team of dedicated endocrine surgeons, endocrinologists and other specialists use state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and treatment approaches to provide you with the best treatment options and outcomes.
Diagnosing and Staging Thyroid and Endocrine Cancer
Diagnosing and staging thyroid cancer and other endocrine cancers requires tests that examine the thyroid, neck and blood, including:
Blood chemistry studies measure the amount of calcium and other substances that organs and tissues release into the body.
Blood hormone studies measure the amounts of certain hormones released by organs and tissues.
CT scans create detailed, cross-sectional images of tumors and other structures in your body.
Laryngoscopy is used to view whether your vocal cords are moving normally.
MRIs use magnets and radio waves to take detailed pictures that reveal the size of the mass, the type of tissue it originated in and whether it has spread to nearby tissues.
Ultrasound is used to show the size of a thyroid nodule and whether it’s a solid or fluid-filled cyst.
Thyroid and Endocrine Cancer Treatment Options
Our multidisciplinary team of endocrine experts works closely together to customize a plan of care that meets your unique needs.
Often thyroid cancer is treated with surgery alone, especially if the cancer is small.
Our surgeons make small incisions in the neck or back and insert video-assisted scopes to magnify so they can see clearly while removing part or all of a gland or tumor. This technique speeds healing and reduces your risk of scarring.
For larger endocrine cancers, a radioactive pill is given to destroy residual thyroid cancer cells after the thyroid gland has been removed during surgery, with little or no damage to other tissues in the body.
Some thyroid and adrenal tumors may require targeted therapies, chemotherapy or immunotherapies after surgery. Our endocrinologists select chemotherapy combinations that will respond best to the genetic mutations and molecular structure of your tumor.
Our Research and Clinical Trials
At Hackensack Meridian Health, you may have the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial of new and exciting approaches to stem cell transplant. Our research has a strong focus on reducing the complications of transplant and also lowering the risk of disease recurrence. We are the first in the world to combine checkpoint inhibitors (drugs that inhibit the proteins cancer cells use to evade detection by the immune system) after transplantation, at a time when the immune system has the best opportunity to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
