Management of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer with favorable prognosis. Treatment includes surgical removal of the thyroid gland and often adjacent lymph nodes. After surgery, radioactive iodine is typically administered to destroy remaining thyroid cells and metastases. Patients require long-term thyroid hormone replacement therapy and regular monitoring using tumor marker measurements and imaging studies. The prognosis is usually favorable, especially when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage. Treatment is individualized based on recurrence risk and disease extent.