Types of treatment

Surgery, radioactive iodine and radiotherapy are given alone or in combination. Most types of thyroid cancer can usually be treated very successfully and many patients are cured.

The treatment chosen will depend on a number of factors, including your age, general health, the type and size of the tumour, and whether it has spread beyond the thyroid.

You may find that other people at the hospital with cancer of the thyroid are having different treatment from you. This may be because their illness takes a different form so they have different needs. If you have any questions about your own treatment, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or the nurse looking after you. It often helps to make a list of questions to ask your doctor and to take a close friend or relative with you.

Second opinion

Usually, a number of cancer specialists work together as a team to decide the most suitable treatment for each patient. Even so, you may want to have another medical opinion. Most doctors will be willing to refer you to another specialist for a second opinion if you feel it will be helpful. The second opinion may take some time to organise and may cause a delay in the start of your treatment. So you and your doctor need to be confident that it will provide useful information.

If you do go for a second opinion, it may be a good idea to take a friend or relative with you, and to have a list of questions ready so that you can make sure your concerns are covered during the consultation.

Giving your consent

Before you have any treatment your doctor will explain the aims of the treatment to you and you will usually be asked to sign a form saying that you give your permission (consent) for the hospital staff to give you the treatment. No medical treatment can be given without your consent, and before you are asked to sign the form you should have been given full information about:

• the type and extent of the treatment you are advised to have
• the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment
• any possible alternative treatments that may be available
• any significant risks or side effects of the treatment.

If you do not understand what you have been told, let the staff know straight away so that they can explain again. Some cancer treatments are complex, so it is not unusual for people to need repeated explanations.

It is often useful to have a friend or relative with you when the treatment is explained, to make it easier for you to remember the discussion more fully. You may also find it helpful to write down a list of questions before you go for your appointment.

Patients often feel that the hospital staff are too busy to answer their questions, but it is important for you to be aware of how the treatment is likely to affect you and the staff should be willing to make time for you to ask questions.

You can always ask for more time to decide about the treatment, if you feel that you can’t make a decision when it is first explained to you. You are also free to choose not to have the treatment, and the staff can explain what may happen if you do not have it.