The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute provides the most advanced diagnosis and treatment for thyroid cancer in the Pacific Northwest. We offer:

• Advanced tests that can help you avoid unnecessary surgery.
• Team-based care, with experts working together to tailor a treatment plan to your unique needs.
• Oregon’s most experienced thyroid doctors.
• Access to clinical trials for promising experimental therapies.
• Expert therapy for voice and swallowing issues.
• A full menu of support services for you and your family.

Quick links

• Understanding thyroid cancer
• Treatment for thyroid cancer
• Meet our team
• Parathyroid cancer
• Treatments for other thyroid conditions

What makes us different

Expertise: Our providers are thyroid experts. They are part of the OHSU Thyroid and Parathyroid Center as well as the Knight Cancer Institute.  Our surgeons perform hundreds of thyroid cancer surgeries a year. Our doctors specialize in thyroid cancer and provide rigorous follow-up care.

Molecular markers: We use advanced tests to help diagnose patients whose earlier tests were unclear. This helps you avoid unneeded surgery. Read more on our Thyroid Cancer Treatment page.

All types: We have treatments for every type of thyroid cancer, including rare and advanced types. We use targeted therapies that attack cancer cells at the molecular level.

National recognition: We’ve earned the National Cancer Institute’s top designation for leadership in research.

We use a team approach to providing care for thyroid cancer. Your team works together to support you at every stage, from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up.

Your team meets at a thyroid tumor board to go over test results and treatment plans, patient by patient. This gives you the benefit of the full team’s expertise. Your team may include:

• Surgeons, who treat you with thyroid surgery.
• Oncologists, who treat you with chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
• Endocrinologists, who specialize in hormone-related conditions.
• Nuclear medicine doctors, who treat you with radioactive drugs.
• Interventional radiologists, who treat you with minimally invasive procedures.
• Pathologists, who are experts in diagnosing cancer.
• Nurses, who provide care and help you navigate treatment.
• All are experts in thyroid cancer.

The latest technology and techniques

We use the latest methods for diagnosis and treatment. These include:

• Minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as video-assisted surgery for some patients, to reduce scarring and speed recovery time.
• Constant monitoring of the vocal cord nerves during surgery.
• The latest ultrasound equipment.
• State-of-the-art radiation therapy technology.

Clinical trials and research

Extensive research: Many of our providers are also scientists who are researching new ways to help patients with thyroid cancer. Our doctors have published dozens of studies on thyroid cancer. This highlights our commitment to push scientific boundaries and to bring improvements to patients as quickly as possible.

Clinical trials: The Knight Cancer Institute offers access to hundreds of clinical trials to test new therapies. One of our trials led to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a medication to treat a type of thyroid cancer.