How to conduct follow-up examination after thyroid cancer surgery? Will thyroid cancer recur after surgery?

After thyroid surgery, a follow-up examination should be arranged reasonably according to the patient's age, disease stage, lesion range and other comprehensive conditions. Routine follow-up examinations include B-ultrasound examination, thyroid function test, parathyroid function test, blood calcium index test, etc. In addition, a fiberoptic laryngoscopy is required to check for vocal cord paralysis. If abnormalities are found during the follow-up examination, isotope scanning, PET-CT and other examinations are required.

Thyroid cancer is a relatively common malignant tumor, accounting for 1% to 2% of all malignant tumors in the body, and is more common in women. For patients with thyroid cancer, the most important thing is treatment. Surgery is a common method for treating thyroid cancer, but surgery cannot completely eliminate cancer cells. Patients should undergo regular follow-up examinations after surgery. Early detection and early treatment of potential hidden dangers in the body can control the disease in time and prevent the disease from worsening. So, how to follow up after thyroid cancer surgery?

The time for postoperative follow-up should be divided into stages. Generally, if the patient has no physical discomfort, the longer the time after surgery, the longer the follow-up interval. There are probably the following situations:

First of all, the first three months after the operation is the patient's recovery period, which is also a high-risk period. Because the patient has just undergone surgery, the body is traumatized and the immunity is reduced, it is easy to have various postoperative complications, such as infection, fever, bleeding, nausea and vomiting, pain, etc. It is best to check once a month during this stage. If there are any problems during this period, go to the hospital for treatment in time.

If the patient recovers well and has no discomfort three months after surgery, the check-up can be extended to every three months. The first year after surgery is the high incidence period of tumor recurrence, and good care should be taken during this period to prevent various risks after surgery. Within the first three years after surgery, patients should be checked every 3-4 months.

Since the first five years after surgery are a high-risk period for tumor recurrence, and about 80% of patients die within 5 years after surgery due to tumor recurrence and metastasis, follow-up examinations must be timely. Generally, follow-up examinations are conducted every 4-6 months during the 3-5 years after surgery. If the tumor does not recur within five years after surgery, the chance of recurrence will decrease, but it is not impossible to have recurrence. At this time, patients are generally examined once every six months or a year. The specific examination interval depends on the patient's condition. You can ask the doctor during the follow-up examination to determine the time for the next follow-up examination. In addition to regular follow-up examinations on time, you should also communicate with your doctor in a timely manner and go to the hospital for examination if you have some physical symptoms.

Reexamination of thyroid cancer patients can detect signs of tumor recurrence and provide timely treatment and control. However, reexamination alone is far from enough. The presence of residual tumor cells in the patient's body after surgery, poor recovery, decreased immunity, or bad living habits, or the failure to eliminate the environment suitable for tumor growth in the body are all key factors causing tumor recurrence and metastasis. Some tumor cells that have not yet formed are difficult to detect with instruments. While the patient is waiting for the next reexamination, the tumor may have grown again, causing symptoms and recurring the disease, and at this time the best period for consolidation treatment has often been lost. Thyroid cancer patients must continue to undergo consolidation treatment after surgery to control tumor growth, which is the key to preventing recurrence.