Is it possible to treat thyroid cancer without radiotherapy?

Whether thyroid cancer patients need radiotherapy depends mainly on the stage of thyroid cancer, pathological type and the patient's own condition. If thyroid cancer is in the early stage and is papillary or follicular, radiotherapy is usually not required.

1. No need: For stage I and II thyroid cancer, that is, when the tumor has not invaded surrounding tissues or lymph node metastasis, surgical treatment is generally recommended. At this time, total thyroidectomy plus isthmus resection can be considered. After surgery, whether iodine-131 treatment is needed will be determined based on the pathological results;

2. May not be needed: For stage III and IV thyroid cancer, that is, when the tumor has invaded surrounding tissues or lymph node metastasis, it is necessary to choose the appropriate treatment method according to the specific situation. At this time, you can consider total resection plus lymph node dissection, combined with chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and other comprehensive treatments. If the patient is in poor physical condition and cannot tolerate surgery, radioactive iodine-131 treatment can be selected. In this case, thyroid cancer patients may not need radiotherapy;

3. Possibly: For some thyroid cancer patients with a higher risk of recurrence, such as anaplastic cancer, medullary cancer and other highly malignant cancers, radiotherapy may also be required as prescribed by the doctor. This is because such cancers are more sensitive to radiotherapy and radiotherapy can serve as an adjuvant treatment.

In daily life, you need to avoid eating foods high in iodine, such as seaweed, kelp, etc. At the same time, you also need to pay attention to rest more and ensure adequate sleep time.