The patient's age and general health status are also taken into account. If the cancer has not spread to distant parts of the body, surgical removal is the usual treatment. If the adjoining lymph nodes are affected, they may also be removed during surgery. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Because the thyroid cells take up iodine, the radioactive iodine collects in any thyroid tissue remaining in the body and kills the cancer cells.
Hormone therapy uses hormones to stop the cancer cells from growing.
TSH stimulates the thyroid cells to grow. This stimulation would also induce growth of the cancerous thyroid cells. To prevent cancerous growth, the natural hormones that are produced by the thyroid are taken in the form of pills. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and surgery is not possible, the treatment is aimed at killing or slowing the growth of cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy may be used, either in a pill or an injection through a vein in the arm.