Endocrinology and Thyroid Cancer Program at Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County
At Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County, we’re here for you throughout your entire endocrine cancer care journey. Conditions affecting the thyroid and parathyroid glands can be complex, so we provide specialized evaluation, surgery and cancer care focused on your diagnosis, comfort and long-term well-being.
Endocrinology and Thyroid Cancer Program at Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County
At Providence Cancer Institute of Orange County, we’re here for you throughout your entire endocrine cancer care journey. Conditions affecting the thyroid and parathyroid glands can be complex, so we provide specialized evaluation, surgery and cancer care focused on your diagnosis, comfort and long-term well-being.
Our Approach to Thyroid Cancer Care
We believe you receive better care when we work as a team. Your care team may include endocrine surgeons, endocrinologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, oncology nurse navigators and other specialists who collaborate to create a personalized plan for you.
We care for patients with thyroid nodules, suspected thyroid cancer, confirmed thyroid cancer, parathyroid tumors and rare parathyroid cancers. If you’re not sure where to start, that’s very normal. We’re here to explain your options, coordinate testing, schedule appointments, connect you with support services and answer your questions.
Endocrine Conditions and Cancers We Treat
We focus on evaluating and treating endocrine conditions involving the thyroid and parathyroid glands, including:
- Thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cysts
- Goiter and enlarged thyroid glands
- Graves’ disease and other thyroid conditions that may require surgery
- Papillary, follicular, Hurthle cell, medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancers
- Hyperparathyroidism caused by parathyroid adenomas or enlarged glands
- Parathyroid tumors and rare parathyroid cancers
To help diagnose and monitor thyroid and parathyroid conditions, your care team may recommend thyroid ultrasound, ultrasound-guided biopsy, bloodwork, imaging, molecular testing or ongoing surveillance based on your diagnosis.
Meet Our Expert Cancer Team
At the Providence Orange County Cancer Institute, our multi-disciplinary team is committed to providing expert care to every patient. We work together to deliver a personalized approach to prevention and treatment, supporting you at every stage. With our collaborative expertise, you receive dedicated guidance and compassionate support throughout your journey.
Advanced Testing for More Personalized Endocrine Cancer Care
Your doctors use diagnostic and prognostic tools to better understand your thyroid or parathyroid condition and determine which treatment approach may be most appropriate. Depending on your diagnosis, this may include ultrasound surveillance, ultrasound-guided biopsy, blood tests, imaging, genetic or molecular testing, and review by a multidisciplinary tumor board.
Testing recommendations vary based on your diagnosis, cancer type, stage and overall health.
Services and Treatments for Thyroid and Parathyroid Cancer
Every patient’s endocrine cancer is unique, which is why we personalize your treatment. Your care team collaborates with you to develop a plan that may include one or more of the following treatment options:
Medication and systemic therapies may be used to manage hormone levels, treat cancer cells throughout the body, or reduce the risk of recurrence. These treatments are selected based on your cancer type, stage, symptoms, and overall health.
Treatment options may include:
- Thyroid hormone therapy or thyroid hormone replacement
- Radioactive iodine therapy for certain differentiated thyroid cancers
- Targeted therapy for select advanced or recurrent cancers
- Chemotherapy or immunotherapy when appropriate
- Clinical trials for eligible patients
Surgery is often an important part of care for thyroid cancer, parathyroid tumors and select endocrine conditions. Depending on your diagnosis, surgery may remove part or all the thyroid gland, abnormal parathyroid tissue, lymph nodes or nearby tissue when needed.
Endocrine surgical options may include:
- Thyroid lobectomy
- Total thyroidectomy
- Completion thyroidectomy
- Central neck lymph node dissection
- Selective neck dissection when lymph nodes are involved
- Parathyroidectomy
- Removal of parathyroid adenoma or abnormal parathyroid gland
- Surgery for hyperparathyroidism
- Surgery for rare parathyroid cancer
- Minimally invasive endocrine surgery when appropriate
- Ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsy
- Thyroid ultrasound surveillance
- Lymph node mapping
- Intraoperative nerve monitoring
- Calcium and thyroid hormone monitoring after surgery
Radiation therapy may be recommended for certain thyroid or parathyroid cancers, especially when cancer is advanced, recurrent or cannot be fully treated with surgery alone. For some thyroid cancers, radioactive iodine therapy may also be used to destroy remaining thyroid tissue or cancer cells that absorb iodine.
Radiation-related treatment options may include:
- Radioactive iodine therapy for select thyroid cancers
- External beam radiation therapy when appropriate
- Palliative radiation to help relieve symptoms when needed
Find Clinical Trials
Are you looking for a clinical trial for yourself or for a patient? We’d love to help you find one!
Patient Resources and Support
Your personal oncology nurse navigator is involved in every phase of your care from the start. Have them explain what is next in your treatment, communicate with your care team on your behalf or connect you with a support service.
A dietitian helps you, your loved ones and your doctors find an approach to eating and nutrition that works for you, especially if treatment affects appetite, swallowing, calcium levels or your ability to maintain strength during recovery.
Palliative care is not just hospice care. It helps you define treatment goals, manage symptoms and improve your overall quality of life. You have the option to incorporate palliative care into your treatment plan right from the start, which can help keep you comfortable and receive the extra support that you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Endocrine thyroid and parathyroid care include evaluation and treatment for the following:
- Goiter
- Graves’ disease
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Parathyroid adenomas
- Rare parathyroid cancers
- Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid nodules
These conditions may require monitoring, medication, biopsy, surgery, cancer treatment, or a combination of approaches depending on the diagnosis.
Treatment may involve diagnostic testing, surgery, hormone management, radioactive iodine therapy, radiation therapy, systemic therapy or active surveillance.
Your treatment plan depends on the type of cancer or endocrine condition, whether it has spread, your symptoms, lab results and your overall health.
Your care team will explain each step, help you understand what to expect and coordinate support throughout treatment and recovery.
Start by meeting with a multidisciplinary care team that has experience with endocrine cancers. Your team can review your diagnosis, imaging, biopsy results, lab work, and treatment options.
We are here to find an approach that targets your specific condition and supports your health and well-being. We’re also available if you already have a diagnosis and would like a second opinion.
Many patients feel anxious when they learn they may need endocrine surgery or cancer treatment. You don’t have to go through it alone. We have resources to help you understand your diagnosis, prepare for treatment and manage recovery.
Rely on your oncology nurse navigator as a point of contact.
Supportive services can be a big help. We offer resources that may include nutrition support, genetic counseling, symptom management, emotional support and help coordinating appointments. Your comfort is our priority.
Some patients with thyroid cancer may benefit from radioactive iodine therapy after surgery, while others may need external radiation therapy or no radiation-related treatment at all.
Radioactive iodine therapy is used for certain thyroid cancers that absorb iodine.
External radiation therapy may be recommended for select advanced, recurrent or hard-to-remove cancers.
Your care team will explain whether these treatments are appropriate for your diagnosis and provide instructions to help keep you and your loved ones safe.
The doctor or specialist you interact with most depends on your specific endocrine diagnosis and treatment plan.
You may see an endocrine surgeon, endocrinologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, radiologist, or pathologist, along with your support team.
Your support team may include your oncology nurse navigator, dietitian, genetic counselor, social worker, and other specialists.
Endocrine surgeons have specialized training in the surgical care of glands that produce hormones, including the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Surgery may be recommended to remove cancer, evaluate suspicious nodules, treat hyperparathyroidism, or relieve symptoms caused by enlarged glands.
Your surgeon will review your diagnosis, imaging, and lab results to determine whether surgery is appropriate and which procedure is most beneficial for your health and well-being.
Dietitians can help you maintain proper nutrition during treatment and recovery. They may provide guidance if you experience appetite changes, swallowing discomfort after surgery, changes in calcium levels, or weight fluctuations related to thyroid hormone management.
Nutrition is an important part of wellness and recovery. Your dietitian can work closely with your care team to support healing, maintain strength, and improve your overall quality of life.
Your personal oncology nurse navigator is someone you can turn to for answers, help, or just someone to talk to. From helping you understand test results to providing tips for dealing with treatment side effects, your navigator remains personally involved in every phase of your care.
Your oncology nurse navigator will:
- Help you understand your diagnosis and treatment options.
- Answer your questions.
- Make sure you have the information you need to participate in your care and make informed decisions.
- Work closely with everyone on your team to make sure your care is well coordinated.
- Help you communicate with your medical team.
- Advocate for you and help you resolve any concerns.
- Connect you with helpful wellness and support services.
- Serve as a medically knowledgeable friend who is committed to helping you through your cancer journey.
- Provide emotional support to help ease the stress of cancer treatment.