Treatment

Your treatment depends on the type of thyroid cancer you have, how big it is and whether it's spread anywhere else in your body.

Preparing for treatment and life afterwards (prehabilitation)

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your physical and mental health when preparing for treatment. In the hospital, preparing for treatment is also called prehabilitation or prehab.

Treatment options for thyroid cancer

The main treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. Depending on your situation, you might also have radiotherapy and sometimes targeted drugs or chemotherapy.

Surgery

Find out about the types of surgery, what happens before surgery and how you might feel after your operation.

Radiotherapy

You might have radiotherapy to kill the cancer, stop cancer that's spread or treat cancer that's come back. Find out about radioactive iodine treatment and external radiotherapy.

Targeted cancer drugs for thyroid cancer

Targeted cancer drugs target those differences that help a cancer to grow and survive. You might have these drugs for differentiated or medullary thyroid cancer.

Chemotherapy for thyroid cancer

Chemotherapy may be used to treat anaplastic thyroid cancer. Find out about how you have chemotherapy and the possible side effects.

Follow up for thyroid cancer

Doctors will arrange for you to have tests and scans at regular follow up appointments.

Research and clinical trials

Find out about the latest UK research looking at thyroid cancer.

Last reviewed: 
03 Jun 2021
Next review due: 
03 Jun 2024
Coronavirus and cancer

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