Thyroid Cancer Follow-Up
After treatment for thyroid cancer, most patients need long-term specialist follow-up to monitor for recurrence and ensure thyroid hormone levels are correctly managed. This is about ongoing monitoring and support once your cancer team has completed the main treatment phase.
What follow-up involves
- regular blood tests including thyroglobulin and TSH
- thyroid hormone replacement at a target dose tailored to your cancer risk
- periodic neck ultrasound to check for recurrence
What we offer
- review of your original treatment and risk category
- an ongoing monitoring plan with blood tests and scans at appropriate intervals
- same-day blood tests where appropriate
Suitable patients and information needed
Suitable patients who have completed initial thyroid-cancer treatment can receive consultant endocrinology follow-up through Endocrine Consult. Complex, progressive or structural disease remains under an appropriate thyroid-cancer multidisciplinary team. For transfer or shared follow-up, please provide operation and pathology reports, multidisciplinary or oncology summaries, radioactive-iodine records where relevant, previous thyroglobulin and antibody trends, thyroid-function results, current levothyroxine dose, imaging reports and the existing surveillance plan.
Thyroid function, thyroglobulin and imaging
After total thyroidectomy, thyroid-hormone replacement is normally lifelong. TSH targets depend on recurrence risk, response to treatment, age and possible heart and bone effects. Thyroglobulin trends are interpreted with thyroglobulin antibodies and in the context of the operation and treatment history. Neck ultrasound and other imaging are arranged according to clinical risk rather than a universal annual schedule. Imaging can be arranged through the clinic when appropriate.
UK-wide video follow-up
Many stable surveillance reviews can be conducted securely by video when complete records and current results are available. Examination, blood tests and imaging require local or in-person arrangements. New neck swelling, persistent hoarseness, worsening swallowing or breathing difficulty needs earlier assessment.