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

80: Everything You Need to Know About Thyroid Nodules with Dr. Regina Castro from Mayo Clinic

60% of people in the U.S. have thyroid nodules, and almost all are benign — the others maybe reason for concern. M. Regina Castro, MDis a consultant in the Division…

Continue Reading80: Everything You Need to Know About Thyroid Nodules with Dr. Regina Castro from Mayo Clinic

79: No Biopsy is 100% Accurate⎥Molecular Testing Gets Close, with Dr. Bridget Brady from Austin Thyroid Surgeons

Dr. Bridget Brady is Austin's first fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon. In this episode the following topics are discussed: Austin Thyroid Surgeons sees 30 patients per week with thyroid nodules Up to 80% of US population could have a thyroid nodule(s) less than 5% of Dr Brady's thyroid nodule patients test positive for cancer How relevant is what I don’t know won’t hurt me in thyroid cancer and biopsies of nodules? BETHESDA system or the middle category, also known as indeterminate For thyroid nodules that are indeterminate, historically a surgery would be performed  With molecular testing, surgery can be decreased by up to 50% Afirma molecular testing uses messenger RNA If Afirma comes back suspicious it does NOT necessarily mean it is cancer

Continue Reading79: No Biopsy is 100% Accurate⎥Molecular Testing Gets Close, with Dr. Bridget Brady from Austin Thyroid Surgeons

78: The Gut⎥Antibiotics Danger, Fixing Inflammation, and Thyroid Health, with Dr. Lisa Sardinia

Dr. Lisa Sardinia is an associate professor in the Pacific University Biology Department. In this episode we discuss: Majority of antibiotics given to children under three are for upper respiratory issues, fact is antibiotics do not work for such issues 85% of antibiotics used are given to food sources, and released into the environment including soil and water Danger of consuming emulsifiers Cow’s milk US has low gut diversity — more diversity means more resilience Autism and gut connection Resetting your gut microbiota by changing diet

Continue Reading78: The Gut⎥Antibiotics Danger, Fixing Inflammation, and Thyroid Health, with Dr. Lisa Sardinia