Radiofrequency ablation provides effective symptom relief and preserves the thyroid
Ann Finneran had known for years that she had several thyroid nodules — solid or fluid filled lumps on her thyroid gland. She didn’t worry too much because biopsies had reassured her that they were benign (not cancerous).
But over time, one began to grow and reached about 3 centimeters. Although it was still benign, she began looking for treatment options because swallowing was becoming increasingly difficult. “It felt like I had a ping pong ball in my throat, and you could see the lump on my neck, but my thyroid function was fine,” she says.
One doctor suggested removing the entire thyroid; another recommended radiation to destroy the whole thyroid, and she recalls thinking, “Well, that’s not going to happen! I think it is very important when anyone suggests the removal of any organ or gland or body part, people should get a second opinion!”
She didn’t see the sense of losing her entire thyroid for a benign condition. “I didn’t like the idea of having to take thyroid medication for the rest of my life either,” she says. “I worried about what might happen if the cost of the medication increased like the cost of insulin has. And this wasn’t even cancer.”
Ann began to research other options. In the meantime, she had moved from downstate to Buffalo and soon found that a treatment called radiofrequency ablation was available at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
A nonsurgical way to treat thyroid nodules
Radiofrequency ablation is a nonsurgical, minimally invasive way to destroy tissue, such as the abnormal tissue of a thyroid nodule. Instead of surgery to cut out the nodule, radiofrequency ablation uses a needle-like probe and electrical current to deliver heat to the tissue and “ablate” or destroy it. This causes the nodule to shrink, relieving symptoms and preserving thyroid function.
At Roswell Park, ablation procedures are performed by interventional radiologists, who also use the technique to treat tumors in the lung, liver, kidney or pancreas.
Why Roswell Park for thyroid disease and cancer?
Our specialists work with this every day and can offer the best strategies for treatment whether your condition is benign or cancerous.
What to expect from radiofrequency ablation
When treating thyroid nodules, the procedure normally takes about 30 minutes. Patients remain in a recovery area for about an hour and typically return home the same day. Side effects can include some soreness at the site for one to two days which is usually relieved with ice and an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol. Some patients may experience a raspy voice for a few days.
Ann says she felt comfortable throughout the procedure. “I had a shot to numb my neck, and I didn’t feel a thing. Afterwards. I had some soreness and used ice, but I didn’t have a raspy voice.” Today, she’s pleased with the result, experiencing a 66% reduction in the size of her nodule. “I don’t have trouble swallowing anymore, and it’s so nice to have a smooth neck again — and keep my thyroid!”
Editor’s Note: Cancer patient outcomes and experiences may vary, even for those with the same type of cancer. An individual patient’s story should not be used as a prediction of how another patient will respond to treatment. Roswell Park is transparent about the survival rates of our patients as compared to national standards, and provides this information, when available, within the cancer type sections of this website.
