Is it better to have a partial or complete thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer

The choice of hemisection or total resection for thyroid cancer should be based on the specific situation of the thyroid cancer and cannot be generalized. Thyroid cancer is a common malignant tumor of the endocrine system in clinical practice. Common pathological types include papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

1. Papillary thyroid cancer: It accounts for 60%-80% of thyroid cancer, followed by follicular carcinoma. This type of thyroid cancer grows slowly and has a long history. There may be no obvious clinical symptoms in the early stage. It is often found through ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland during physical examination and can be treated with hemi- or total thyroidectomy.

2. Follicular thyroid cancer: It accounts for 10%-20% of thyroid cancer, followed by medullary thyroid cancer. This type of tumor grows rapidly and may metastasize to lymph nodes in the early stage, but it is not in the early stage and can be treated with hemi- or total thyroidectomy.

3. Medullary thyroid cancer: It accounts for 10%-20% of thyroid cancer. This type of tumor is highly malignant and prone to local invasion and distant metastasis. Most patients require total or partial thyroidectomy.

4. Anaplastic thyroid cancer: This type of thyroid cancer is more malignant and grows relatively rapidly. There are no obvious clinical symptoms in the early stages. The tumor will increase significantly in size in a short period of time and may be accompanied by symptoms such as local pain and hoarseness. It needs to be treated with total or partial thyroidectomy.

Some patients' postoperative pathology may indicate thyroid cancer, and most patients need long-term thyroid hormone suppression therapy. Even if they undergo total thyroidectomy, patients still need to take oral levothyroxine sodium tablets for endocrine therapy after surgery. Therefore, patients should complete relevant examinations in a timely manner and choose appropriate treatment plans under the guidance of doctors based on factors such as pathological type and clinical stage.