Supportive care helps people meet the physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges of thyroid cancer. It is an important part of cancer care. There are many programs and services available to help meet the needs and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer and their loved ones, especially after treatment has ended.
Recovering from thyroid cancer and adjusting to life after treatment is different for each person, depending on the extent of the disease, the type of treatment and many other factors. The end of cancer treatment may bring mixed emotions. Even though treatment has ended, there may be other issues to deal with, such as coping with long-term side effects. A person who has been treated for thyroid cancer may have the following concerns.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism develops when too little thyroid hormone is present in the blood following treatment for thyroid cancer. Because the thyroid gland is removed by surgery and the remaining thyroid cells may have been destroyed by radioactive iodine therapy, the body is no longer able to make thyroid hormone. Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism may include:
- fatigue
- lethargy
- weight gain
- feeling cold
Treatment for hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Thyroid hormone is taken as a pill every day for life. It may be necessary to adjust the dose of the thyroid hormone based on blood test results.
Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia develops when there is too little calcium in the blood following treatment for thyroid cancer. Hypocalcemia may occur if the parathyroid glands are removed or damaged during thyroid surgery. Signs and symptoms of hypocalcemia may include:
- numbness in the fingertips
- tingling or cramps in the arms or legs
- numbness and tingling around the mouth
- muscle stiffness
- twitching or spasms in the hands or feet
Treatment for hypocalcemia is calcium replacement and possibly vitamin D. Calcium supplements restore the normal levels of calcium in the blood. Vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium. Calcium replacement pills may not have to be taken for life. In most cases, the parathyroid glands recover after thyroid surgery and start working again.
Voice changes
Voice changes may occur after thyroid cancer surgery. This happens in about 1 out of every 250 people who have this operation. The thyroid gland lies close to the larynx (voice box) and the nerves that supply the larynx may be affected during surgery. After surgery, people may find that their voice sounds a bit different. Their voice may be hoarse or sound ‘breathy’. They may have trouble making high-pitched sounds. Their singing voice may also be affected. Usually, people notice that their hoarse voice gets better within a few weeks and their singing voice recovers over time. In a very small number of people, the voice changes may be permanent.
See a list of questions to ask your doctor about supportive care after treatment.