What are the causes of recurrence of thyroid cancer after surgery? What should we pay attention to after thyroid cancer surgery?

The reasons for recurrence of thyroid cancer after surgery are as follows: 1. The complete resection was not performed, and the remaining thyroid tissue became cancerous again; 2. The surgery was not standardized, and there were residual thyroid cancer cells; 3. The metastatic lymph nodes were not completely removed during the surgery; 4. Small lesions that had already metastasized to distant sites were not discovered before the surgery, such as bone metastasis and lung metastasis before the surgery.

Surgery is an important method for treating diseases. Patients with more serious thyroid cancer need to be treated with surgery. However, not all diseases can be cured by surgery at one time. Some diseases will recur after surgery, such as thyroid cancer patients. So, what are the reasons for the recurrence of thyroid cancer after surgery?

1. The first surgery was not standardized or thorough

Many doctors are performing thyroid cancer surgery, such as general surgery, otolaryngology, hepatobiliary surgery, and breast surgery, but few can truly perform the surgery correctly, in a standardized, and thorough manner. Many patients have relapses after surgery due to the lack of professionalism of many doctors.

Some patients should undergo total thyroidectomy, but only one side of the lobe + isthmus + most or subtotal thyroidectomy of the contralateral side is performed, leaving a part behind, which leaves hidden dangers and makes recurrence easy; some patients should undergo neck zone VI and zone VII lymph node dissection, but it is not done, which leaves a root of trouble and makes lymph node recurrence very likely after surgery.

Sometimes the lateral neck lymph nodes are not completely cleared or not cleared at all, so recurrence is inevitable. The above-mentioned errors in surgical methods are the main reasons for clinical recurrence.

Therefore, it is crucial that the first operation is standardized, correct and thorough!

2. No or no iodine-131 treatment was performed after surgery

The treatment of thyroid cancer requires comprehensive treatment, and postoperative iodine-131 treatment is one of them. Some patients need this treatment after surgery to completely kill cancer cells and achieve the goal of radical cure. However, some surgeons only know about surgery, but do not know the indications for postoperative iodine-131 treatment, and do not inform patients, causing patients to lose the opportunity for this treatment. By the time lymph nodes with cervical metastasis are found, it is too late. Or if a total thyroidectomy is not performed and there is residual thyroid tissue, the patient is asked to undergo iodine-131 treatment, which is ineffective; even if this treatment is performed, it is useless.

3. Inadequate postoperative management

Thyroid cancer patients should take levothyroxine tablets (usually Euthyrox) for life after surgery, and their thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) should be controlled to reach the target range to inhibit and reduce recurrence. However, clinical studies have shown that some patients cannot persist in taking medication, leading to recurrence, and some doctors cannot correctly guide patients to take medication to reach the target range, resulting in recurrence.

Therefore, patients should regularly check their thyroid function and related indicators, and undergo regular thyroid color Doppler ultrasound examinations to detect signs of recurrence early and treat them early.

4. Uncontrolled diet after surgery

Patients with thyroid cancer should eat a low-iodine diet after surgery. If you don't pay attention to control, it will also lead to cancer recurrence. Eat non-iodized salt, avoid seaweed such as kelp, laver, and wakame, and try not to eat fish, shrimp, scallops, crabs, clams, etc. from the sea. You can eat freshwater fish and shrimp, etc. Only in this way can you reduce the chance of cancer recurrence.

The life expectancy of patients with thyroid cancer is relatively long, generally reaching around 65 years old. Therefore, if a person is unfortunately diagnosed with thyroid cancer, there is no need to be too pessimistic. Thyroid cancer does not have a particularly large impact on the human body. It will only cause a decrease in the corresponding hormone secretion of the human body. People with thyroid cancer must treat the disease as soon as possible, maintain a good mood, and face the disease positively and optimistically to minimize the impact of the disease.

The treatment of thyroid cancer should be analyzed based on the actual situation. Each person's actual situation is different, so the specific treatment methods required are also obviously different. It is recommended that everyone deal with this situation scientifically.