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Newly diagnosed with thyroid cancer and have 2 main concerns
Thyroid Cancer | Last Active: Oct 24, 2023 | Replies (140)Comment receiving replies
I am deliberately not doing a whole lot of research (like I would have done in the past for any family or friend's health issues) because it is so easy to go down multiple rabbit holes with Dr. Google. So I am reading one or two threads here on Mayo Connect, and a couple other websites. But if others who have gone through thyroid surgery can provide their input on who they consider as top thyroid surgeons / hospitals in the US, that would really help.
E.g, I saw @lise01 mention Clayman Thyroid Center. What are your opinions about that center?
Any others that you think are leading centers for thyroid surgery?
Thank you all!
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@cocha I had been looking at Clayman Thyroid Center, even though they are on the other side of the country from me, because Dr. Clayman was the head thyroid surgeon at MD Anderson for like 25 years before starting his own clinic focusing completely on the thyroid in Florida. They seem to run a really tight ship and get excellent reviews. Their goal is to make sure they get everything done with one surgery and are very thorough about collecting as must information about what is happening in there before surgery.
I can't actually recommend them as I did not get treated there, but I did speak to one of his surgeons there for about an hour way when this began and really liked her. She explained to me that they map out your whole neck before surgery, biopsy anything that catches their eye before going in and also have a pathologist there during the surgery to test any suspicious tissue/nodes, and basically only close you up once they are confident they got everything. They have relationships with some surrounding hotels that are equipped with any post-surgical needs you might have. It sounded kind of concierge and almost too good to be true but I brought them up with the first surgeon I had spoken to (who I loved, but who couldn't get me in until end of June) and he said Dr. Clayman is the real deal.
Ultimately, I didn't go that route because they are so far away -- but have thought about them again since this all has been happening. They seem to err on the side of getting the cancer out, and it seems to me they will take more out rather than less if they think it will spare the patient more surgeries. I think at first I wanted the least done but now I'm not so sure ...
I can't really speak from experience about anywhere else, only ones here in San Diego. My friend has been getting treated at Memorial Sloane Kettering in NY for really aggressive breast cancer for the past 7 years -- she says they are amazing, but talk about assembly line! She said you REALLY have to advocate for yourself to get attention because they are so busy. My guess is all the big players (the MD Andersons and Cleveland Clinics) are going to be slammed.