Patient's question:
Papillary thyroid carcinoma, extracapsular extension, non-metastatic, surgically removed, no clearance performed, careful ultrasound examination after two years showed no issues. Does smoking and drinking significantly affect thyroid cancer that has already been surgically treated?Doctor's answer:
Smoking is harmful to health, which is an undeniable fact. If you are accustomed to it, quitting smoking may lead to depression, so the harm of depression might be greater than the harm of smoking. Between the two harms, choose the lesser one and control it according to your own judgment. A very small amount of alcohol is beneficial to health, within 50 grams per day (200 ml of beer), while excessive drinking is harmful. Smoking and drinking beer have no direct impact on thyroid cancer that has been surgically treated. Patients should weigh the balance between their daily life and mental well-being. In addition to timely medical treatment, patients with thyroid cancer need to maintain a good mood in their daily lives, as a positive attitude greatly assists in the complete recovery from the disease.