Contemporary management of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a relatively common and frequently curable malignant neoplasm, accounting for nearly 2% of all new cancers diagnosed annually in the United States. The diagnostic and management options have evolved considerably in the past decade, and a current understanding of these trends in the standard of care have assumed an important consideration in the practices of head and neck surgeons and endocrinologists alike. We sought to review the epidemiology and pathology of the several types of thyroid cancer and to present our evidence-based management algorithm. Every effort was made to offer alternative treatment strategies and supporting data where available. In addition to reviewing well-established approaches to diagnosis and management, emphasis is placed on newer techniques, including minimally invasive thyroidectomy, molecular detection of disease propensity, and the use of recombinant thyrotropin prior to radioiodine ablation.