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Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

Hi CRBP- There are multiple forms of radiation therapy available, so, depending on your situation, there may be other options available for you. For example, radiopharmaceuticals, also known as radionucleotides, are radioactive drugs used to treat some patients. The National Cancer Institute provides extensive information on options:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/radiation

Additionally, the Johns Hopkins Thyroid Cancer Center provides the following information: Two types of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) are typically used for thyroid cancer: photon and electron beam. Proton beam therapy is only available in two sites at the U.S. and is rarely used for patients with thyroid cancer. There are new and different ways to apply photon EBRT. The descriptive terms you may have heard are: "3-D", "conformal", or "IMRT" (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy). These methods allow the radiation oncologist to tailor the radiation treatment with greater precision than was possible utilizing the standard "2-D" methods. This permits either: 1) a higher dose to a tumor for the same degree of normal tissue toxicity as was experienced with "2-D' methods; or, 2) the same dose that has always been used, but with less normal tissue toxicity. All of these photon beam methods should be equally effective in treating recurrent, treatment resistant thyroid cancer if the same dose to tumor is given; however, the various newer 'conformal' techniques may allow a slightly higher dose and a possibly better outcome.
You can find more information here: http://www.thyroid-cancer.net/resources/answers.php3

You may also want to consider joining a patient support group and learning from other patients. Does this help? Good luck to you. Pat

May 12, 2010 - 6:18pm

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