Once a patient has made it through treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer, they will require close follow-up with their doctor. An endocrinologist will start the patient on thyroid hormone replacement therapy. If the patient’s entire thyroid gland was surgically removed, they will have no way of producing thyroid hormones, and will develop hypothyroidism. Treatment with synthetic thyroid hormones will therefore be necessary, and the right dosage of thyroid hormone replacement therapy will be determined with regular blood tests. Learn more about thyroid hormone replacement.
Patients should visit their specialist on a regular schedule (or earlier if they have any concerning symptoms). This allows doctors to monitor the patient for any sign that the cancer has returned. The best timeline for follow-up will be determined by the doctor. Due to the high risk for recurrence after treatment of ATC, follow up visits and imaging with CT, MRIs, and PET/CT scans will be frequent for the first several years. If something suspicious is noticed, a patient may need a biopsy and potentially further treatment.
