A thyroid cancer diagnosis is frightening — but most thyroid cancers are highly treatable, and surgery is the primary treatment for nearly all of them. At Surgery Group LA, board-certified endocrine surgeon Dr. Jason Cohen performs thyroid cancer surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, from lobectomy for small, low-risk tumors to total thyroidectomy with lymph node dissection for more advanced disease. Call (310) 861-7493 to schedule a consultation or second opinion.
Papillary thyroid cancer — the most common type — and follicular thyroid cancer generally carry excellent long-term outcomes when treated appropriately. Medullary and the rare anaplastic thyroid cancers require more extensive treatment planning. Depending on the tumor's size, type, and spread, surgery may involve removing one lobe of the thyroid (lobectomy), the entire gland (total thyroidectomy), and, when lymph nodes are involved, a central or lateral neck dissection. Careful, nerve-protecting technique preserves the voice and parathyroid function. When radioactive iodine or other therapy is needed after surgery, your care is coordinated with your endocrinologist.
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Dr. Jason Cohen, MD, FACS is a board-certified surgeon whose practice is focused on thyroid and parathyroid surgery, including minimally invasive and scar-minimizing thyroidectomy. He performs thyroid cancer surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and leads the thyroid program at Surgery Group LA.
If the entire thyroid is removed, you will take daily thyroid hormone replacement; after a lobectomy, many patients maintain normal thyroid function. Follow-up typically includes blood tests and neck ultrasound, and — when the tumor type and stage call for it — radioactive iodine therapy coordinated with your endocrinologist. Most patients return to normal activities within one to two weeks of surgery.
Surgery is the main treatment for most thyroid cancers. In select cases of very small, low-risk papillary cancers, active surveillance — careful monitoring instead of immediate surgery — may be an option. Your surgeon will review your biopsy, imaging, and preferences to recommend the right path.
It depends on the tumor's size, type, and whether it involves both lobes or lymph nodes. Many small, low-risk cancers can be treated with a lobectomy — removing half the thyroid and often preserving normal hormone function. Larger or higher-risk cancers are usually treated with total thyroidectomy, sometimes with lymph node dissection.
Not everyone does. Radioactive iodine is used after total thyroidectomy for certain papillary and follicular cancers based on the tumor's stage and risk features. That decision is made after surgery, once the final pathology is known, in coordination with your endocrinologist.
Dr. Jason Cohen, a board-certified thyroid and parathyroid surgeon, performs thyroid cancer surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Consultations take place at 8635 W 3rd St, Suite 880W, Los Angeles, CA 90048. Call (310) 861-7493 to schedule.
Beverly Hills patients trust Surgery Group LA for expert, compassionate surgical care just minutes from home. Call (310) 861-7493 or request an appointment online, and our team will match you with the right board-certified specialist and verify your insurance before your visit.
