90: Adding T3 to T4 Will Make You Feel Better? For Some the Answer is ‘Yes’ with Dr. Antonio Bianco from Rush University

A little T3 can make a world of difference for some thyroid patients. Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD, is head of the division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Bianco also co-chaired an American Thyroid Association task force that updated the guidelines for treating hypothyroidism. Dr. Bianco’s research has revealed the connection between thyroidectomy, hypothyroidism symptoms, and T4-only therapy. Although T4-only therapy works for the majority, others report serious symptoms

Continue Reading90: Adding T3 to T4 Will Make You Feel Better? For Some the Answer is ‘Yes’ with Dr. Antonio Bianco from Rush University

89: Thyroid Cancer Web Sites Confuse Patients with Dr. Rashika Bansal from St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center

In this episode Dr. Bansal shares the research she presented at AACE 2017 and ENDO 2017, regarding the poor readability scores for thyroid cancer web sites. The challenge for these web sites and health institutions is to translate thyroid education from complex to simple and easy to understand. Currently, many patients are not following up with treatment, citing confusion after being exposed to the various thyroid cancer education resources.

Continue Reading89: Thyroid Cancer Web Sites Confuse Patients with Dr. Rashika Bansal from St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center

88: Has anything changed in the past 50 years of treating thyroid disease? (including thyroid cancer) The answer is yes. → Dr. Leonard Wartofsky from MedStar

Thyroid replacement therapy has been around since 1891, when patients were served sheep thyroid tartar. Now, patients have the convenience of a taking a simple pill — this and other…

Continue Reading88: Has anything changed in the past 50 years of treating thyroid disease? (including thyroid cancer) The answer is yes. → Dr. Leonard Wartofsky from MedStar

87: A Must Listen Episode Before Getting Surgery – Do Not Do It Alone, with Douglas Van Nostrand from MedStar Washington Hospital

Dr. Douglas Van Nostrand, MD is the Director of Nuclear Medicine and the Program Director of the Nuclear Medicine Residency Program at Washington Hospital Center and Professor of Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital Center.

Continue Reading87: A Must Listen Episode Before Getting Surgery – Do Not Do It Alone, with Douglas Van Nostrand from MedStar Washington Hospital

86: Thyroid Cancer Treatment and Surgery Explained⎥Dr. Gerard Doherty from Harvard Medical School

* Imaging has increased thyroid nodule discovery. * Following patients with small thyroid cancer ? analogous to prostate cancer.  Better followed than treated. * Tiny thyroid cancers can be defined by those nodules less than 1/4 inch in size.  * Less RAI is being used as a part of thyroid cancer treatment. This means, less need to do total thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy. * Dry mouth and dry eyes are risks to doing RAI.  Also, there is risk to developing a second malignancy.   Most of the secondary cancers are leukemia. * Risks to operation include changes to voice and calcium levels.  Thyroid surgery is a safe operation but not risk free. * Best question for a patient to ask is, who is my treatment team?

Continue Reading86: Thyroid Cancer Treatment and Surgery Explained⎥Dr. Gerard Doherty from Harvard Medical School

85: A Summary of Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Alan Waxman from Cedars Sinai

Not all thyroid cancer patients who receive a thyroidectomy require radioactive iodine, but for those whose cancer maybe more aggressive and spread beyond the thyroid area, often radioactive iodine (RAI) is protocol. RAI treatment may vary depending on the hospital. In this interview, Dr. Alan Waxman explains what occurs leading up to, during, and after RAI. Topics discussed include: If staying at the hospital after taking RAI, how long is the stay required? Should you go home after RAI? What is the benefit of staying overnight at the hospital when receiving RAI? Worldwide trends toward prescribing lower doses of RAI. Is there risk in RAI causing leukemia?

Continue Reading85: A Summary of Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Alan Waxman from Cedars Sinai

84: Flame Retardants Connected to Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Julie Ann Sosa from Duke University

This is an in depth discussion about the connection between flame retardants and plastics, and thyroid cancer.  These chemicals, also known as endocrine disruptors, have a clear connection to thyroid cancer occurrence. The research is presented by Julie Ann Sosa, MD MA FACS is Chief of Endocrine Surgery at Duke University and leader of the endocrine neoplasia diseases group in the Duke Cancer Institute and the Duke Clinical Research Institute. She is Professor of Surgery and Medicine. Her clinical interest is in endocrine surgery, with a focus in thyroid cancer. 

Continue Reading84: Flame Retardants Connected to Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Julie Ann Sosa from Duke University

83: Drug Resistant Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Carmelo Nucera from Harvard Medical School

Carmelo Nucera, M.D., Ph.D., is currently an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, Boston, in the Division of Cancer Biology and Angiogenesis (Department of Pathology), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Nucera received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Experimental Endocrinology and Metabolism from Italy. In this episode, Dr. Nucera discusses a combination drug therapy using vemurafenib and palbociclib represents a novel therapeutic strategy to treat papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). 

Continue Reading83: Drug Resistant Thyroid Cancer, with Dr. Carmelo Nucera from Harvard Medical School

82: Pregnancy and Thyroid⎥Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism, with Dr. Angela Leung from UCLA

In this episode, the following topics are explained: * Optimizing thyroid health prior to conception * Thyroid issues that affect pregnancy * Hypothyroid as result of surgery or Hashimotos * Hyperthyroidism and pregnancy * Adjusting current thyroid treatment, meaning optimizing thyroid levels by adjusting dosage of thyroid medication * TSH levels in light of pregnancy * Planned pregnancy usually means a dose increase

Continue Reading82: Pregnancy and Thyroid⎥Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism, with Dr. Angela Leung from UCLA

81: Recovering From Thyroid Cancer Surgery, Faster, Better, and Stronger with Evan Simon, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Oregon State University

In this episode, we hear from Evan Simon, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Oregon State University. Evan was diagnosed with advanced Stage IV thyroid cancer, which resulted a 13 hour surgery. At the end of his surgery, Evan was told he would not be able to lift his hands overhead for 3 months, instead he broke the odds, taking him only 3 weeks.

Continue Reading81: Recovering From Thyroid Cancer Surgery, Faster, Better, and Stronger with Evan Simon, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Oregon State University