Surgery is the best treatment for thyroid nodules that are:

• Cancerous (malignant).
• Suspected to be cancerous.
• Noncancerous (benign) but large enough to cause problems with breathing or swallowing.

People who develop thyroid nodules after receiving radiation treatment to the head, neck, or chest are more likely to need surgery because their risk for developing thyroid cancer is greater. But most nodules in people who have had radiation therapy are not cancerous.

For information about thyroid cancer and its treatment, see the topic Thyroid Cancer.

Surgery Choices

The most common surgical procedure to remove thyroid nodules is thyroidectomy.

What To Think About

Most thyroid cancers grow and spread so slowly that you can delay surgery for a short time if you have a suspicious nodule that is not causing problems. If you choose to postpone surgery, your nodule should be watched closely by an endocrinologist.