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Thyroid Cancer

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“Radioactive Iodine for Thyroid Cancer” There are approximately 5,000 nuclear medicine centers in the United States. Together, they perform 18 million procedures every year. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses radioactive material to diagnose, determine the severity of an illness and treat a variety of diseases. An example of nuclear medicine is the use of radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer.The use of radioiodine is the most common hyperthyroid treatment in the United States.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer that affects children and adults. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is located on the front of the neck below the Adam’s apple. Its function is …show more content…

There are a variety of options to treat thyroid cancer. The disease may be controlled with medications, surgery to remove the thyroid, and radiation treatments such as the use of radioactive iodine. The use of radioactive iodine is a safe and reliable cure for thyroid cancer. Radioactive iodine treatment comes as a pill or liquid that you swallow, so you won’t need to be hospitalized.

Radioactive iodine treats hyperthyroidism by shrinking the thyroid and destroying the gland. When the thyroid cells absorb the radiation, the thyroid cancer cells are destroyed and it stops the cells from spreading to other areas of the body. You will need to avoid contact with other people for a couple of days to prevent radiation exposure to others. Approximately 90% of patients are cured of thyroid cancer with a single dose. Yet, it may take up to six months before the medication fully destroys the thyroid gland.

In Conclusion, there are many options to treat and cure thyroid cancer such as medications, surgery, radiation treatments and much more. Thyroid cancer treatments depend on the type and stage of your thyroid cancer, and your preferences. Most cases of thyroid cancer may be cured with the treatment of radioactive iodine. The use of radioiodine is safe and effective for treating thyroid cancer. If you’re diagnosed with thyroid cancer, it is best to go to a doctor. He or she will have many options in treating your thyroid cancer that is best and right for

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