Thyroid cancer
Our team of surgeons, head and neck surgeons, and rehabilitation therapists provide excellent pre-screening assessment, diagnostic, and minimally invasive treatment options for papillary and follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Risk assessment
We collaborate with the Odette Cancer Centre’s NETs (neuroendocrine tumours) clinic to assess risk factors for thyroid cancer. Factors in consideration include age (25-65 years old), gender (females in particular), previous radiation exposure to the head and neck area, goiters (enlarged thyroid) history, family medical history, genetics and ethnic heritage.
Diagnosis & treatment options
We examine the thyroid, neck, and blood to detect and diagnose thyroid cancer. We implement the following:
- physical and medical history assessments to check for lumps, swelling in neck, voice-box, lymph nodes, etc.
- laryngoscopy to check the larynx (voice-box)
- blood hormone studies: blood assessed to check for hormone concentrations
- ultrasound exams
- CT scans
- fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the thyroid: sample thyroid tissue removed for a pathologist to check for carcinoma
- surgical biopsies: removal of thyroid nodule(s) so cells/tissues can be viewed under microscope to check for carcinoma
- availability of mutational analysis and gene expression classifier testing for specific thyroid nodules
Newly diagnosed with thyroid cancer
We offer the following treatment techniques:
- total or near-total thyroidectomy with/without radioactive iodine therapy
- lobectomy and removal of lymph nodes containing cancer – followed by hormone therapy
- targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor
- surgery for cancer resection
- external-beam radiation therapy
- removal of lymph nodes containing cancer
Recurrent thyroid cancer
We offer treatment options that include:
- surgery with/without radioactive iodine therapy
- targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor
- external radiation therapy/intraoperative radiation therapy as pain and symptom management therapy
- access to clinical trials of a targeted therapy
Supportive care and information
Clinical trials
We are active in clinical trials
We've had clinical trial studies published. These include:
- Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspirate of Thyroid Nodules: The Sunnybrook Experience
- Waiting for Thyroid Cancer Surgery: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study of Psychological Morbidity and Determine of Health Associated with Long Wait Time for Patients with Thyroid Cancer
- An Analysis of Voice Quality in Patients Underwent Thyroidectomy
- Correlation of Post-operative, Un-stimulated Thyroglobulin Levels with Stimulated Thyroglobulin Levels and Post-ablative Iodine Scans
- Thyroidectomy and Informed Consent: Do Pamphlets Enhance Post-Operative Recall?
About the thyroid
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland consisting of two lobes (left & right) at the base of the throat near the trachea (windpipe).
