Frequently Asked Questions   /   Types of Cancer   /   Head and Neck Cancers   /   Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer Treatment After RAI

Print PDF

OncoLink
Last Modified: August 14, 2012

Question

What happens after my cancer stops responding to radioactive iodine?

Answer

Marcia Brose, MD, Director of Thyroid Cancer Therapeutics Program at Penn Medicine responds,

There are many new agents in clinical trials and some that might be available outside of clinical trials. In the last 5 years, many patients have had successful treatments. The first thing you should do is have a consultation with an oncologist who has experience treating advanced thyroid cancer. Ideally, if they are an active site in research they will have access to many promising new agents that you may be able to be treated with. Experience of the oncologist is very important so I would find out how many patients like you they treat in a year, and feel free to get more than one opinion. Think of it is doing research into your options and learning more about the disease, which will help you make the best decision for you.

This question and answer was part of OncoLink's Brown Bag Web Chat Series. View the entire transcript of Focus on Thyroid Cancer.