COIMBATORE: Treatment for thyroid cancer include surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, external beam radiation therapy and targeted therapy. In most cases, patients undergo surgery to remove most of the thyroid gland and are treated with thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
In some cases, thyroid cancer progresses and becomes metastatic (it spreads to neighbouring regions or organs) and does not respond to radioactive iodine (radioiodine) therapy, better known as RAI therapy. After this, targeted therapy in the form of newer drugs that help prolong survival are used.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved Lenvatinib, a new drug for use in patients who no longer respond to treatment with radioactive iodine. It is shown to have superior survival benefits than the current systemic treatment options, due to its unique manner of action.
It acts on multiple receptors and has more pronounced action on tumor cells.
Factors associated with thyroid cancer include a family history of thyroid cancer, gender (women have a higher incidence of thyroid cancer), age (a majority of cases occur in people over 40 years, although thyroid cancer affects all age groups right from children to the elderly), and prior exposure of the thyroid gland to radiation.
Dr. P Guhan, director and consultant oncologist, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research (SRIOR) said, “Thyroid cancer is a unique form of cancer because there is an actual potential cure if detected early, and managed appropriately. However, if detected late, thyroid cancer can spread to other parts of the body and can lead to poor quality of life and even death.”
