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

Supportive care and information

• Patient and family support (including speech pathology)
• Patient education

Clinical trials