Triumph Over Butchery: Guest Editorial for Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology.

Abstract

While once considered "butchery," thyroid cancer surgery is now considered a safe surgery in the setting of the increasing incidence of thyroid nodules. Several changes in the approach to patients and advancements in technology have paved the way for the technical feasibility of thyroid surgery. International guidelines have enabled a personalized, and less invasive approach to patients and thus reducing the morbidity attributed tumors from potential injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve or long-term thyroid hormone replacement- particularly for papillary microcarcinomas. Morbidity from hypocalcemia and nerve injury have further been improved by advancements including parathyroid localizing technology, nerve monitoring, molecular testing, and improved diagnostic imaging. As we continue to improve our understanding of the thyroid, so will the outcomes of patients who undergo thyroid cancer surgery. Advancements in the safety and feasibility of thyroid surgery remind us of the statement made by William Halsted: "thyroid surgery is a supreme triumph of the surgeon's heart."