I am confused when people write that they have a diagnosis before surgery because I was told that thyroid cancer cannot be diagnosed until they remove the thyroid/ lobe. I had read that radiation kills the thyroid…., it causes the thyroid to stop working, which is why they don’t use it for treatment after lobectomy. You would have to take medication for the rest of your life so what are the gains? You might want to ask what happens to the 4 parathyroid with radiation…. They are on the back of the thyroid and are very important. You might also want to inquire about the risks to the surrounding tissues if you have radiation…. Will salivary glands and vocal cords be affected? It seems like a lot of people have radiation therapy after removal for metastatic cancer but I always thought that was because the diagnosis was confirmed with surgery and it was done primarily to ensure all cancer cells were killed…..I don’t think I have ever read about anyone having radiation as an option instead of surgery. Good luck!