Postoperative Management of Thyroid Carcinoma

Survival from differentiated thyroid carcinoma is generally good, but postoperative management plays an important role in minimizing the likelihood of disease recurrence. Postoperative management is generally performed by endocrinologists and nuclear medicine physicians, who exploit thyroid cells' inherent iodineavidity and sensitivity to hormonal manipulation in a unique cancer management paradigm. Endocrinologists manage thyroid hormone replacement/thyroid stimulating hormone suppression and coordinate surveillance. Nuclear physicians administer targeted therapy with radioactive iodine and perform imaging studies to assess disease status. This article provides an overview of the postoperative assessment, treatment, and follow-up of patients who have thyroid carcinoma.