In recent years, many statistics show that the cure rate of thyroid cancer is quite high. However, the disease is very easy to relapse if the patient is not carefully cared for. So what should be noted in life after thyroid cancer treatment to avoid recurrence? Let’s find out about this issue in the article below!

Overview of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a fairly common type of cancer, occurring due to the abnormal development of thyroid cells. Thyroid cancer is divided into differentiated thyroid cancer and undifferentiated thyroid cancer. In which, differentiated thyroid cancer is divided into follicular thyroid cancer, papillary cancer and medullary cancer.

Currently, the cure rate of thyroid cancer is quite high. If detected early, this rate can be up to 90%. Therefore, when you see signs related to thyroid cancer, you should see a doctor for the earliest diagnosis and treatment.

Thyroid cancer occurs due to the abnormal growth of thyroid cells.

Life after thyroid cancer treatment

Although the cure rate of thyroid cancer is quite high, if the patient is not carefully cared for, the disease can recur. Here are some notes on life after thyroid cancer treatment to limit the possibility of recurrence:

Regular check-ups

After thyroid cancer treatment, the doctor will order the patient to have regular check-ups and do the necessary tests. This will help the doctor monitor the patient’s health and detect early signs of recurrence, if any, to prevent it in time. Therefore, the patient should pay attention to regular check-ups according to the doctor’s appointment schedule.

Depending on the type of thyroid cancer, the initial severity of the disease and the treatment method, the doctor will order a check-up and do the appropriate tests:

• Papillary cancer: If the papillary cancer has been completely removed, the doctor may order the patient to have a check-up after 6 to 12 months. The doctor will do a blood test to check the levels of thyroid hormones, TSH and thyroglobulin in the patient’s blood. These indicators must be low after thyroid cancer treatment. If the levels of TSH and thyroglobulin in the blood increase, this may be a sign of disease recurrence. At this time, the patient needs to do other tests, PET scans, etc. to get an accurate diagnosis.
• Medullary thyroid cancer: For patients with medullary thyroid cancer, the doctor will order regular check-ups with blood tests to check the level of calcitonin. If this index is high, the patient will have an ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT scan to detect cancer recurrence.

Regular check-ups help detect early signs of disease recurrence.

Building a reasonable diet and exercise regimen

Life after thyroid cancer treatment plays an important role. To prevent cancer recurrence, patients should build a reasonable diet, lifestyle and exercise regimen:

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins that are very good for health, helping to increase resistance.
• Limit greasy foods: Patients should limit eating foods that contain a lot of cholesterol and unhealthy fats such as fast food, animal organs, animal fat, etc.
• Limit fast food and processed canned foods: Processed canned foods contain preservatives that are harmful to health. In particular, some preservatives, if used for a long time, can lead to cancer. Therefore, you should limit eating these products.
• Do not use alcohol, beer and stimulants: Alcohol and beer have a negative impact on health, especially for cancer patients.
• Reasonable living and resting: Do not overwork or stay up late. Staying up late not only has a negative impact on health but is also the root cause of cancer risk.
• Increase physical activity: Exercising at least 30 minutes a day helps improve health and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

You should focus on life after thyroid cancer treatment.

Follow your doctor’s instructions

Some patients with thyroid cancer who are at high risk of recurrence will be prescribed certain medications by their doctors to prevent recurrence. Therefore, patients need to comply with treatment and take the full dose to limit the possibility of recurrence.

Notes for patients who have been treated for thyroid cancer

Patients who have been treated for thyroid cancer should keep their medical records to provide to their doctors when necessary. This will help your doctor better understand your health condition in order to make the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

When hospitalized for any reason, you should also discuss with medical staff your history of thyroid cancer treatment.

Patients who have been treated for thyroid cancer should keep medical records to provide to their doctors.

In summary, life after thyroid cancer treatment is very important to limit the possibility of recurrence of the disease. Patients should develop a reasonable diet, lifestyle and exercise regimen to prevent recurrence of the disease, and at the same time have regular check-ups to detect early signs of the disease. Hopefully the information we provide in this article will be useful to you.