When you have thyroid cancer, you must be concerned about what you should pay attention to in your daily diet. In fact, there are no hard and fast rules on diet in the professional community at home and abroad, and there is no significant effect of daily food on the recurrence and metastasis of thyroid cancer.
Postoperative recovery diet
In general, after thyroid cancer surgery, a balanced diet should be the basis, with attention to a well-rounded nutrition to ensure the body’s energy and nutritional needs. It is important to eat more fruits and vegetables, dairy, soybeans, appropriate fish, poultry, eggs and lean meat, low-fat and low-salt diet, control sugar and limit alcohol, and eat less or no spicy and stimulating food.
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Pre-radioiodine therapy diet
Low iodine diet
If part of the thyroid tissue is preserved by surgery, a balanced iodine intake should be taken care of after surgery in order to ensure the effectiveness of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Iodine-rich seafood such as kelp and nori are generally recommended sparingly, while fish has limited iodine content and is generally not a mandatory requirement.
We advocate eating less, not an absolute ban, because normal consumption does not generally meet the “high iodine intake” standard. There is no evidence that iodized salt affects the outcome of thyroid cancer.
If you undergo a total thyroidectomy, the thyroid gland, which is the organ that uses iodine to synthesize thyroxine, is no longer present, and iodine intake is theoretically no longer important. However, special populations such as pregnant women and adolescents and children still need appropriate iodine supplementation.
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Can I eat cruciferous vegetables?
The cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, cabbage, radish, broccoli, kale, etc., which we commonly eat. They contain a special ingredient, sulfur glycosides, which, under certain conditions, can inhibit iodine uptake by the thyroid gland, resulting in impaired thyroid hormone production in the body over time, leading to an enlarged thyroid gland. This is also known as the “goitrogenic substance”.
In fact, normal consumption of cruciferous vegetables does not cause goiter.
Not only that, but cruciferous vegetables are low in iodine and can be eaten by patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who need a low iodine diet before RAI treatment.
Can I still eat seafood?
After thyroid cancer surgery and before RAI treatment, you need to maintain a low iodine diet, and many seafoods are rich in iodine and are best avoided during this time. After treatment, a low iodine diet is also recommended, with regular follow-up at the hospital.
The “seafood” we eat every day, including algae, shrimp, shellfish, and fish, differs greatly in its iodine content. The main reason for this is that it is not a good idea to use the same kind of products as the others. It is important to pay attention to the differentiation.
If you would like to know the iodine content of various everyday foods, please click on the following link:
Co-written by Dr. Kai Qian, Cancer Hospital of Fudan University Dr. Shuwen Yang