Surgery for Thyroid Cancer

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Surgery is part of the treatment plan for nearly all thyroid cancers. Different types of thyroid surgery might be recommended, depending on the situation. People with advanced thyroid cancer might not have surgery. That’s because chances are low that surgery will cure the disease. But sometimes surgery to remove tumors may help a person live longer or manage symptoms.

Thyroid Cancer Care Tailored to You

You and your family are our top priority. At Fred Hutch Cancer Center, we offer comprehensive and compassionate care — personalized to you. You'll have access to the latest treatment options, clinical trials and supportive care services.

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Types of Surgery to Treat Thyroid Cancer

There is a range of surgeries for thyroid cancer. At Fred Hutch Cancer Center, our experienced surgeons offer all types of thyroid cancer surgeries.

Your exact procedure will depend on many factors. Your care team will take into account things like the site, size and stage of your cancer and your overall health and goals. You and your team will talk about your options and decide together what is best for you.

Thyroidectomy

Thyroidectomy is surgery to remove the thyroid gland. This is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer, especially for larger tumors or for cancers with higher-risk features.

  • Total thyroidectomy: When the whole thyroid is removed 
  • Near-total thyroidectomy: When all but a very small part of the thyroid is removed

Lobectomy

In a lobectomy, the surgeon only removes the lobe of the thyroid (left or right) that contains the cancer. The isthmus is usually also removed during this surgery. The isthmus is the small piece of the gland that acts as a bridge between the lobes.

Lymph node removal

When thyroid cancer spreads, most often it goes first to nearby lymph nodes in the neck. If thyroid cancer appears to have spread to these lymph nodes, the nodes will be removed.

Tracheostomy

This is a surgery to create a stoma (opening) into the windpipe to help you breathe.

Fred Hutch Sloan Clinic 1
Patients are seen at the Sloan Clinic for thyroid surgery consultations.

Why Choose Fred Hutch for Thyroid Cancer Surgery

As a patient at Fred Hutch, you’ll have surgery done by a UW Medicine surgical oncologist. Your surgeon will be specially trained and board certified in head and neck surgery. They know the most advanced surgical options for treating your disease. 

Whenever possible, our surgeons use minimally invasive techniques. Knowing when to do an open or minimally invasive procedure is important. This is part of the expertise offered by our surgeons. They are among the country’s leading experts in both techniques. To help you recover, Fred Hutch care teams follow evidence-based guidelines (“early recovery after surgery” protocols).

Learn More About Surgery at Fred Hutch

Thyroid Cancer Surgery FAQ

Like with any surgery, you will probably have some pain after your operation. Your care team will give you pain medicines to help with this.

After a near-total or total thyroidectomy, you will need to take daily thyroid hormone pills to replace the hormones your thyroid was making.

After the surgeon removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some people may receive radiation therapy to destroy any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy.

Your Fred Hutch care team will talk with you about common side effects and signs to watch for. We’ll make sure you know what to do and how to reach us if any concerns come up.