10 Holistic Treatments for Thyroid Cancer

The following article covers ten Holistic Treatments for Thyroid Cancer.

Thyroid cancer refers to the growth of malignant cells in the thyroid. The thyroid is an endocrinal gland located at the base of the throat, just below the larynx (Adam’s Apple). It is shaped like a butterfly with two lobes on either side of the trachea connected by a thin strip of tissue called the isthmus.

The thyroid’s main function is to produce three essential hormones:

1. Triiodothyronine (T3) – Regulates basal metabolism, growth and development, heart rate, and body temperature.
2. Tetraiodothyronine (T4) – Controls digestion and metabolic functions.
3. Calcitonin – Checks the calcium level in the blood while opposing the parathyroid hormone. It’s also a tumor marker for certain types of thyroid cancer.

The production of these hormones relies on iodine as the main raw material and signaling from the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by the pituitary gland.

There are four main types of thyroid cancer, namely: papillary, anaplastic, medullary, and follicular. The anaplastic type is also known as non-differentiated thyroid carcinoma, while the others are described as either partially or fully differentiated. These cancers usually cause a noticeable swelling, lump, or nodule in the thyroid. But only a lab or imaging test can definitively diagnose thyroid cancer. If detected in its early stages, thyroid cancer is highly treatable and can be successfully cured.

Like most cancers, thyroid cancer is conventionally treated through surgery (thyroidectomy), targeted medications, and radiation therapy, depending on the cancer type and its progression. Thyroid cancer can also be treated through natural or holistic methods that stimulate the body’s natural processes to fight the disease with minimal collateral damage to healthy cells.

Holistic Treatments for Thyroid Cancer

Here are 10 examples of effective holistic treatments for thyroid cancer:

1. Low-Dose Radioiodine (RAI) Therapy

The thyroid gland requires iodine to produce the T3, T4, and calcitonin hormones. Actually, the thyroid uses up nearly all the body’s supply of iodine. This supply comes from food since the body cannot synthesize its own iodine. RAI therapy takes advantage of the thyroid’s unique ability to absorb this micronutrient.

During treatment, low doses of radioactive iodine (I-131) are administered through oral capsules. The thyroid absorbs the I-131, which happens to be lethal to cancer cells. You can think of this as a form of highly targeted, low-dose radiotherapy. Studies show that RAI therapy is a relatively safe and effective complementary or primary treatment for differentiated papillary and follicular thyroid cancers.

2. Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is a general term describing a range of healing techniques involving heat treatment. The idea behind hyperthermia is that cancer cells are much slower and inefficient at dissipating heat than healthy cells. Therefore, raising the body’s or tumor’s temperature can selectively kill the overheating cancer cell. Hyperthermia also stimulates detoxification, enzyme action, and cell repair.

A 2016 in vitro study of thyroid cancer cells found that a combination of near-infrared hyperthermia and immune stimulation (using quercetin and lipopolysaccharide) resulted in remarkable tumor targeting and inhibition.

3. Herbal Therapy

Herbs and plant-derived drugs are emerging therapeutic solutions for cancer treatment. Over the years, herbalists, nutritionists, and oncologists have proposed and scientifically backed numerous botanical elements in the fight against thyroid cancer. Also, a 2019 paper demonstrates the potential and efficacy of active herbal ingredients in natural medications for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

4. Hormone Therapy

This 2008 research paper demonstrates how a high concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood is linked with the incidence and accelerated growth of differentiated thyroid cancers. Since this discovery, researchers have developed various ways of suppressing TSH to curb tumor development in the thyroid. Several hormone-based drugs have already been found to inhibit TSH production or counter its action through specific chemical mechanisms, effectively lessening high-risk thyroid cancer progression, recurrence, and mortality rates.

5. DMSO IV Therapy

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a byproduct of industrial paper and wood processing. DMSO is clinically used as a solvent and driver for drug therapies. It’s also known as a cell-differentiation and anticancer agent, making it a holistic candidate for cancer treatment. One study found that dimethyl sulfoxide promotes tumor suppression through several mechanisms, mainly by stimulating HLJ1, a known tumor inhibitor.

6. Retinoic Acid Therapy

The body forms retinoic acid by metabolizing vitamin A1. Retinoic acid can also be artificially synthesized and taken either orally or topically as a medication for various diseases. Clinical and model studies have confirmed that retinoic acid works against cancer cells by blocking their growth and division and triggering apoptosis through a number of chemical pathways. Additionally, in a small 2011 study, researchers found that retinoic acid enhanced iodine uptake in patients with radioiodine-negative differentiated thyroid cancer.

7. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. Treating thyroid cancer this way involves employing adoptive cell therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cancer vaccines, among other immunotherapy agents.

8. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

HBOT exposes the patient to pure 100% oxygen gas in a pressurized chamber (at about 2-3 atm). This enables the blood to absorb much more oxygen than it normally would. The resulting oxygen influx stimulates metabolism, healing, cell differentiation, and detoxification. Research into HBOT’s efficacy in fighting thyroid cancer is lacking, but HBOT studies in other cancers have yielded promising results.

9. Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)

LLLT is a photodynamic therapy whereby a soft laser beam is shone on a specific body part or the entire body. The light restores normal tissue function and promotes healing by energizing healthy cells. Low-level laser therapy is also used as a complementary or palliative treatment for various cancers. A 2012 paper proves LLLT’s anti-inflammatory properties and therapeutic abilities to restore and regenerate thyroid tissue.

10. Mind-Body Medicine Practices

A big part of holistic treatment is healing the mind and spirit, as well as the body. The late Dr. Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), once famously stated, “Without mental health, there can be no true physical health.” That says it all. To heal the body (from cancer or other diseases), you must also address mental and emotional well-being.

Mindfulness exercises such as yoga, acupuncture, and therapeutic massages go a long way in helping patients with thyroid cancer cope with the pain and mental toll associated with the disease’s symptoms and the side effects of treatment.

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