Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer

The thyroid is a tiny gland in the front of the neck, just below the voice box. It has two lobes and is formed like a butterfly. This gland, which is part of your endocrine system, produces hormones that impact your heart rate, temperature, brain function, and metabolism.

A nodule (tumor) forms when cells in the thyroid gland expand uncontrolled. The vast majority of thyroid nodules (90 percent) are benign (noncancerous). However, one in ten are malignant (cancerous).
Thyroid cancer affects around 62,500 persons in the United States each year. People between the ages of 20 and 55 are most commonly affected by the condition. Thyroid cancer affects women roughly three times more than males.
The condition might be difficult to treat.

How We Care for You

Over the last decade, Memorial Sloan Kettering specialists have treated over 6,000 patients with thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer is diagnosed by our specialists using advanced technologies. We were pioneers in determining that there are multiple forms of thyroid cancer, each with a unique pattern of development and response to treatment.

Each patient is cared for by a team of professionals from several fields, rather than simply one doctor.
We employ precision medicine to adapt your treatment to the type of thyroid illness you have. Active surveillance, surgery, and radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy are among treatment possibilities.
If your disease has spread or returned after treatment (known as recurrent thyroid cancer), we will consult with you to decide the best course of action.
Many patients take part in our extensive clinical trial program. These studies put a variety of treatments to the test for people with low-risk thyroid cancer as well as advanced disease that hasn't responded to usual treatments.
The majority of our patients recover and have a high quality of life. This is due, in part, to our world-class thyroid cancer Survivorship Program, which serves as a model for care at other cancer centers worldwide.