Cancer Thyroid Cancer A Guide to Thyroid Cancer Resources By Mary Shomon Updated September 21, 2017 Share Pin Email Print Hero Images/Getty More in Cancer Thyroid Cancer Symptoms Causes & Risk Factors Diagnosis Treatment Living With Support & Coping Prevention Bladder Cancer Brain Tumors Breast Cancer Cervical Cancer Childhood Cancer Colon Cancer Gastric Cancer Head & Neck Cancer Liver Cancer Leukemia Lymphoma Lung Cancer Ovarian Cancer Pancreatic Cancer Prostate Cancer Skin Cancer Testicular Cancer More Cancer Types View All If you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer or you are a friend, family member, or caretaker for someone with thyroid cancer, it’s important for you to have access to the latest information, as well as support and thyroid cancer-related events.While diagnoses of thyroid cancer are on the rise, it is still a relatively rare cancer. Only a specialized group of physicians have expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term followup of thyroid cancer patients. Where can you get reliable information on thyroid cancer? Where can you find support? Let’s take a look.Information About Thyroid Cancer Here at VerywellVerywell is a good starting point in your search for information. You may find it helpful to read this in-depth overview of thyroid cancer, including the types of thyroid cancer, risk factors and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.For those diagnosed with thyroid cancer during pregnancy, you will want to understand the specialized advice and protocols recommended for pregnant women.You may hear people refer to thyroid cancer as the “good cancer,” an understandably controversial topic.Other Helpful InformationA helpful site featuring a broad range of information on thyroid cancer is the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, known as ThyCa. ThyCa maintains an up-to-date and informative website with a great deal of information, including: Thyroid Cancer Basics Handbook: a free PDF guide that reviews the basic information about thyroid cancerGuide for Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients ThyCa Newsletter and Information Package: free newsletter and informationTypes, Stages and Treatment of Thyroid Cancer Guidelines on Clinical Trials for Thyroid Cancer The American Cancer Society maintains a page featuring information about thyroid cancer. Their page includes general information about thyroid cancer statistics, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, staging, and a separate, easy-to-read, simple guide to thyroid cancer.The National Cancer Institute has a 48-page guide titled, "What You Need to Know About Thyroid Cancer," available online as a free downloadable PDF e-book.Two other reputable sites with information about thyroid cancer are Endocrine Web and the American Thyroid Association.Finally, the National Library of Medicine's PubMedHealth page on thyroid cancer features links to the latest research published about thyroid cancer.Leading Medical CentersSome of the leading U.S. medical centers and hospitals for thyroid cancer diagnosis include:Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New YorkJohns HopkinsMayo ClinicNew York Presbyterian/Columbia Thyroid CenterMD AndersonFind a Thyroid Cancer SpecialistIf you are looking for an experienced surgeon with expertise in thyroid cancer, read How to Find a Top Thyroid Surgeon.Several organizations have lists or databases of physicians who are thyroid cancer specialists, including:American Thyroid Association American Association of Clinical EndocrinologistsThe Hormone Foundation, affiliated with The Endocrine SocietyThe Low-Iodine DietSome thyroid cancer patients need to follow a low-iodine diet for several weeks before having follow-up scans to detect any recurrence of thyroid cancer. To learn more about the low-iodine diet: ThyCa has an informative Low Iodine Diet page with information on how to follow a low-iodine diet. ThyCa also has a free, 420-recipe low-iodine cookbook available as a free PDF download. Another resource is a book, "The Low Iodine Cookbook," by Norene Gilletz, which features a number of recipes for tasty, low-iodine dishes that thyroid cancer patients can use during the low-iodine phase of followup scans.The book is available at bookstores. The American Thyroid Association has a helpful Low-Iodine Diet page.You may also want to read Lisa Fayed's guide to Eating Well on a Low-Iodine Diet.Annual ConferenceThyCa holds an annual conference for thyroid cancer patients and caregivers, often in September (Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month.) Learn more about the annual conference, which features speakers talking about all aspects of thyroid cancer, including treatment options, latest developments, nutrition, and lifestyle at the ThyCa Conferences page. SupportThyCa has active online and in-person support groups for thyroid cancer patients.Their list of local ThyCa support groups features in-person groups in locations around the U.S. ThyCa also has specialized ThyCa e-mail support groups for different types of thyroid cancer and situations ThyCa/Inspire has a thyroid cancer online forum for supportThyCa also runs the "Person to Person Network," which matches patients to experienced volunteers based on the situation, to provide emotional support.On Facebook, the Light of Life Foundation runs an active private forum for thyroid cancer survivors, friends, and family. Find out more about the Light of Life Thyroid Cancer survivors group.You can also find cancer support groups in your area at the support group search page provided by the American Cancer Society.A Word From VerywellRemember that the best outcomes for thyroid cancer patients are achieved when you work with healthcare providers who have experience diagnosing, treating, and managing thyroid cancer. Continue Reading