Thyroid Cancer Survivors Celebrated by Nation's Leading Thyroid Surgeons on National Day of Recognition

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Oct 22, 2024, 09:03 ET

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clayman Thyroid Center at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is proud to celebrate Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Day, a time to honor the courage, resilience, and strength of those who have faced thyroid cancer. As one of the fastest-growing cancer diagnoses in the United States, thyroid cancer affects thousands of individuals each year, with women being three times more likely than men to receive a diagnosis. Despite the challenges of thyroid cancer, today we celebrate the survivors who have battled this disease and highlight the critical importance of choosing a high-volume, expert thyroid surgeon to ensure the best outcomes for those still on their journey.

Thyroid Cancer: A Growing Concern

Thyroid cancer has seen a rapid increase in diagnoses, particularly among women. According to the American Cancer Society, over 43,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed this year in the United States alone. While the prognosis for most thyroid cancers is generally good, the need for specialized surgical expertise is paramount to achieving the highest cure rates and reducing the risk of complications and recurrence.

"Thyroid cancer, though often curable, requires precision and expertise for successful treatment," said Dr. Rashmi Roy, Director of Thyroid Surgical Services at the Clayman Thyroid Center. "Too often, patients undergo multiple surgeries or face recurrences because their initial treatment wasn't handled by a thyroid cancer expert. Our mission is to ensure that every patient has access to the best care, from diagnosis through surgery, for a complete recovery."

Celebrating Survivors: Natalie's Story

One of the most powerful stories we've heard this year comes from Natalie, a nurse practitioner and thyroid cancer survivor. Her journey with thyroid cancer spans multiple surgeries across different healthcare providers and states, ultimately leading her to the Clayman Thyroid Center. Natalie's experience highlights the importance of selecting the right surgeon from the start and shows just how transformative expert care can be for thyroid cancer patients.

"If you're reading this and going through thyroid cancer, I hope my story encourages you to seek out the very best care possible," says Natalie. "Do it once, and do it right. As a nurse practitioner and a thyroid cancer survivor who had undergone two prior surgeries in different parts of the country, I can't stress enough how important it is to find a surgeon who specializes in thyroid cancer from the beginning. I only wish the Clayman Thyroid Center had been an option for me when I was first diagnosed—it would have saved me so much heartache and financial distress."

After two unsuccessful surgeries, Natalie turned to the Clayman Thyroid Center, where she finally experienced the comprehensive care she needed. "As someone who works in healthcare, I've seen firsthand how amazing ENT doctors are. But when it comes to thyroid cancer, I've learned that specific, high-level expertise is key to getting the right treatment," she explained. "I now understand why my initial surgeries didn't result in a cure, despite following up with radioactive iodine therapy. The educational videos from Dr. Roy and Dr. Clayman have been invaluable in helping me understand what went wrong before."

Natalie's message is particularly impactful for those facing recurrent thyroid cancer. "I want to reach out to others who, like me, are dealing with recurrence," she said. "The team at the Clayman Thyroid Center gave me the best chance at a full cure. The entire experience—from the help Melissa provided with my paperwork, to Darya's gentle ultrasound technique, to Dr. Roy and Dr. Clayman's professional but compassionate care—was more than I could have hoped for."

Her surgery in January 2024 marked a turning point in her journey. "Thank you to the Clayman Thyroid Center for giving me my life back," Natalie said. "After my surgery, friends and family couldn't believe how quickly I healed compared to my previous procedures. My scar is so flat, and started to fade so quickly—soon I doubt it will even be visible at all. I'm beyond grateful for the care I received, and I've already recommended the center to people across the country."

The Importance of High-Volume, Expert Thyroid Surgeons

Thyroid cancer treatment requires a highly specialized approach, particularly when surgery is needed. At the Clayman Thyroid Center, our surgeons exclusively perform thyroid surgeries, completing thousands of successful operations each year. This level of experience is directly tied to better patient outcomes, including higher cure rates and lower rates of complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcemia.

Dr. Gary Clayman, one of the world's leading thyroid surgeons, emphasized the critical need for patients to seek out high-volume thyroid surgeons when undergoing thyroid cancer treatment.

"The recurrence rate of thyroid cancer is significantly higher when patients undergo surgery with non-expert providers," said Dr. Clayman. "Thyroid cancer is a disease where doing it right the first time truly matters. By choosing a high-volume thyroid surgeon, patients drastically increase their chances of a one-and-done surgery with long-term success."

At the Clayman Thyroid Center, our team's dedication to treating thyroid cancer with the highest level of expertise is supported by our state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology, and a multidisciplinary approach. The combination of high surgical volume and unparalleled specialization ensures that our patients receive the best possible care.

Addressing Recurrences and Second Surgeries

Many thyroid cancer patients, like Natalie, find themselves facing recurrence after their initial surgery. Recurrences can often be traced back to incomplete initial surgeries, inadequate post-surgical monitoring, or failure to remove all affected tissue. Unfortunately, recurrent thyroid cancer is more difficult to treat, and the risk of complications increases with each additional surgery.

Dr. Roy explained, "For patients with recurrent thyroid cancer, the complexity of the surgery increases, which is why it's so important to get it right the first time. At the Clayman Thyroid Center, we specialize in these complex cases and have helped many patients achieve successful outcomes after recurrence. But we strongly encourage all patients to start with an expert surgeon to minimize the chances of needing a second or third surgery."

National Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Day: A Call for Awareness

As we celebrate National Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Day, we also use this opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of early detection and the need for expert care. The Clayman Thyroid Center encourages everyone to perform regular neck self-checks for signs of thyroid cancer and to seek out the best care possible if a thyroid cancer diagnosis is made.

The survival rate for thyroid cancer is high, but that's no reason for complacency. The earlier thyroid cancer is detected and treated, the better the outcomes. And when it comes to surgery, choosing a high-volume thyroid specialist can make all the difference between a complete cure and a recurrence down the line.

"Today is about celebrating the strength of survivors like Natalie, but it's also about advocating for every thyroid cancer patient to have access to the expert care they deserve," said Dr. Clayman. "No one should have to go through multiple surgeries or experience recurrence because they didn't have access to the right surgeon from the start."

The Clayman Thyroid Center's surgeons operate exclusively at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in Tampa, Florida alongside their sister surgeons of the Norman Parathyroid Center and the Carling Adrenal Center. Together, they are the highest volume endocrine surgery practice in the world which will provide the Research Institute unprecedented access to thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal tumors.

About the Clayman Thyroid Center:
Founded by one of the nation's best-known thyroid surgeons, the Clayman Thyroid Center is the highest volume thyroid cancer referral center in the United States. The Center boasts the most experienced thyroid surgeons in the US who provide personalized care allowing the greatest opportunity for cancer cure, wellness, and cosmetic, and functional, outcomes via all types of thyroid surgery from minimal incision to scarless thyroid surgery to advanced cancer care.
www.thyroidcancer.com | (813) 940-3130

About the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery
The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is a campus of HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital focused on compassionate patient care and highly specialized treatment of endocrine tumors. We provide a wide array of services necessary for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of tumors of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. Our team includes doctors, surgeons, nurses, and technicians who have dedicated their careers to delivering the highest cure rates using the most advanced techniques available. HCA's Hospital for Endocrine Surgery is the nation's highest-volume hospital for thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal tumors and cancers.
www.hospitalforendocrinesurgery.com

Media Contact:
Julie Canan, Director of Marketing
941.468.3002 | [email protected]

SOURCE Clayman Thyroid Center