Ohio State Physicians and Scientists Continue to Break New Ground in Thyroid Cancer Care

Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States among men and women, meaning more people than ever need timely, tailored treatments. Fortunately, clinicians and researchers at The Ohio State University are uniquely qualified to meet this challenge. Their efforts to better understand, prevent or treat thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer help ensure patients have better outcomes, fewer treatment side effects and improved quality of life.

A multidisciplinary approach

At Ohio State, thyroid cancer care is coordinated through the Thyroid Cancer Unit, a program within The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. There, specialists in endocrinology, medical and surgical oncology, interventional radiology, head and neck surgery, and genetics work together to ensure patients have a seamless, positive experience.

“Our team is comprised of outstanding and caring clinicians who strive not only to be great physicians, but also to transform patient care through basic science and clinical research,” says Matthew Ringel, MD, director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and co-director of the Thyroid Cancer Unit. “It’s this combination of patient-centered and research-driven care that’s helped Ohio State become a worldwide leader in thyroid cancer care.” 

Game-changing research leads to lifesaving care

Physician-researchers at Ohio State routinely lead or participate in novel research that drives improvements in thyroid cancer prediction, diagnosis and treatment. Team members routinely receive funding from the National Cancer Institute and the American Thyroid Association and are often study site leaders for multicenter clinical trials sponsored by the International Thyroid Oncology Group.

Key insights and discoveries made by Ohio State researchers include:

• Identifying genes that cause thyroid cancer with a goal to develop markers that predict who is more likely to develop thyroid cancer over the course of their lives
• Defining the best uses of new molecular tests to diagnose thyroid cancer in patients with thyroid nodules
• Minimizing side effects of thyroid cancer therapy once thyroid cancer is diagnosed
• Determining optimal approaches to monitor patients with different forms of thyroid cancer
• Identifying new treatment targets for patients with aggressive thyroid cancer and determining the next generation of treatment options
• Developing new treatment approaches for patients with aggressive forms of thyroid cancer by leading clinical trials for all forms of thyroid cancer

National leaders in patient and physician education

Ohio State’s thyroid cancer specialists also support numerous patient and medical education initiatives. Their efforts include:

• Serving as advisory board members for local chapters of the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, an international support group commonly known as ThyCa
• Leading the American Thyroid Association’s new thyroid cancer guidelines team
• Facilitating physician training courses that teach their peers how to perform thyroid and neck ultrasounds

“By maintaining active clinical practices, pursuing new research endeavors and training tomorrow’s thyroid cancer specialists, Ohio State clinicians will continue to push the field forward,” Dr. Ringel says. “We’re honored to champion efforts that improve the health and well-being of patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer.” 

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