Multidisciplinary Approach to Thyroid Cancer Management

Noah S. Kalman, MD, MBA, a radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of gynecologic, head and neck, thoracic, and pediatric cancers at Miami Cancer Institute of Baptist Health Medical Group, discusses how oncologists can determine the best course of action for the treatment and management of a patient with thyroid cancer.

According to Kalman, when patients present with a thyroid nodule or a known diagnosis of thyroid cancer, they are typically referred to an endocrinologist or a head and neck surgeon for evaluation. Small lesions may be monitored, but surgery is often the recommended course of action. After this, the surgeon discusses the appropriate type and extent of surgery with the patient.

Once surgery is completed, Kalman explains that further treatment decisions are made based on pathology results and laboratory findings, such as thyroglobulin levels, especially for differentiated thyroid cancers.

In many cases, patients are referred to a multidisciplinary endocrine tumor board, which includes surgeons, pathologists, endocrinologists, and radiologists. This team reviews each case collaboratively to determine the most effective treatment plan. This comprehensive approach ensures tailored care for each patient based on their unique clinical situation.

Transcription:

0:09 | When patients start with either a thyroid nodule or a known diagnosis of thyroid cancer, they generally are referred to endocrinology or to an endocrine or head and neck surgeon to evaluate the need for surgery. Some very small lesions can be observed and followed. For most patients, the appropriate choice of action is to undergo surgery. The surgeon will talk them through the type and extent of the surgery that they need, and then after surgery, based on the pathologic findings and laboratory findings to look at thyroglobulin, particularly for these differentiated thyroid cancers that I would then see, patients will commonly see me after their surgery to discuss the need for further treatment.

1:14 | Some things are straightforward. A lot of our cases will go to our endocrine tumor board where we have our surgeons, our pathologists, endocrinologist, and radiologists. We review these cases, and then determine the best course of action for them.