Endocrine Cancers Program

Our team of endocrine surgeons provides patients with individualized evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, and work together in close collaboration with specialists at Yale and across the larger community to provide the most comprehensive, leading-edge surgical treatment available. They offer minimally invasive surgical techniques whenever possible, and also treat many complex, recurrent, and reoperative cases.

We offer several specialized approaches to enhance care in conjunction with surgery. These include:

• A parathyroid four-dimensional (4-D) CT Scan: an advanced imaging technique used to localize parathyroid tumors before surgery is performed
• Rapid PTH (parathyroid hormone) assays: allows for real-time testing while patients are still in the operating room. Rapid PTH-assays are essential in determining if a tumor has been completely removed, or if further exploration is needed before concluding surgery. This provides the surgeon with the confidence to know a patient’s surgery has been successful, and decreases the length of surgery and recovery time.
• Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy: removal of one or more of the parathyroid glands, which are small, pea-shaped glands located in the neck on either side of the trachea and next to the thyroid. This is performed with a focused approach, often using a gentle local anesthesia technique. This enables the patient to vocalize during surgery, ensuring the vocal cords are protected.
• Retroperitoneoscopic Adrenalectomy: allows for direct access to the adrenal gland without the need for invasive procedures in patients deemed to have smaller tumors. This results in less scarring and pain with a quicker recovery for patients.
• Laparoscopic or Open Transabdominal Adrenalectomy: based on the individual patient, and especially in the management of large adrenal tumors, either a laparoscopic or open surgical approach may be preferable.
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): a unique, non-surgical way to treat benign thyroid lesions that can preserve normal thyroid tissue and function and alleviate compressive symptoms. During the minimally invasive, outpatient procedure, a patient’s nodule is selectively heated and denatured using an electrode that passes through the skin.

Our collaborative team of endocrinologists is comprised of distinguished leaders in endocrinology. They provide care to patients with all types of endocrine cancers, including complex cases and offer several specialized approaches to patient care. Endocrinologists within our program are uniquely positioned to manage the hormonal consequences of cancer and its treatment, from thyroid dysfunction and adrenal insufficiency to immunotherapy-related endocrine toxicities and treatment-induced bone loss. Our endocrinologists work to identify, manage, and treat endocrine complications early to protect patients' quality of life and ensure that treatment stays on track.

Our medical oncologists provide specialized treatment for hormone-producing tumors. They work alongside our endocrinologists and surgeons to treat thyroid, adrenal, and neuroendocrine tumors. A number of clinical and research collaborations are ongoing with endocrine programs around the world, which enable our team to be on the cutting edge of clinical trials and research. Our patients have access to groundbreaking clinical trials, many of which are exclusively available at Smilow Cancer Hospital locations.

Pathology is a vital part of treatment for endocrine cancers, and our pathologists are highly trained in analyzing tumor tissue to help make an exact diagnosis, determine stage, and identify any genetic mutations. This allows for highly personalized treatment plans for each patient. Working closely with our surgeons, medical oncologists, and endocrinologists, they help guide each patient’s treatment plan and ensure access to the most advanced, evidence-based options available. Our multidisciplinary Tumor Board meets weekly to discuss patient cases and to develop an optimal treatment plan for each of our patients.

In collaboration with the Smilow Cancer Hospital Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, patients are screened and evaluated for hereditary endocrine tumor disease. Clinical trials testing new therapies and treatment options are also offered to patients with medullary or anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Our supportive care team connects patients and their families to a wide network of essential services including social work, pastoral support, dietary and nutritional counseling, physical therapy, integrative medicine, pain management, and psychosocial support.

We believe exceptional care extends well beyond medical treatment. From your first call, our intake specialists, clinical secretaries, and schedulers help you feel prepared for your initial visit and coordinate appointments in a way that fits your life. Throughout treatment, our physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, and nurse coordinators ensure you stay informed and supported.