References

Berglund CB, Gustafsson E, Johansson H, Bergenmar M. Nurse-led outpatient clinics in oncology care—patient satisfaction, information and continuity of care. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2015; 19:(6)724-730 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2015.05.007

British Thyroid Association. The British Thyroid Association guidelines for the management of thyroid cancer. 2014. https://tinyurl.com/1ahbuyr9 (accessed 11 February 2021)

Cancer Research UK. Thyroid cancer incidence statistics. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/4j7ejjcw (accessed 11 February 2021)

Cancer Research UK. TNM staging. 2020. https://tinyurl.com/yeulbpms (accessed 11 February 2021)

de Leeuw J, Prins JB, Teerenstra S, Merkx MAW, Marres HAM, van Achterberg T. Nurse-led follow-up care for head and neck cancer patients: a quasi-experimental prospective trial. Support Care Cancer. 2013; 21:(2)537-547 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1553-1

Department of Health, Macmillan Cancer Support, NHS Improvement. The national cancer survivorship initiative vision. 2010. https://tinyurl.com/2v46twdt (accessed 11 February 2021)

Hewitt H, Gafaranga J, McKinstry B. Comparison of face-to-face and telephone consultations in primary care: qualitative analysis. Br J Gen Pract. 2010; 60:(574)e201-e212 https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp10X501831

Independent Cancer Taskforce. Achieving world class cancer outcomes. A strategy for England 2015-2020. 2015. https://tinyurl.com/yz6ocg6t (accessed 11 February 2021)

Lewis RA, Neal RD, Hendry M Patients' and healthcare professionals' views of cancer follow-up: systematic review. Br J Gen Pract. 2009; 59:(564)e248-59 https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp09X453576

Macmillan Cancer Support. The recovery package. 2015. https://www.macmillan.org.uk/_images/recovery-package-sharing-good-practice_tcm9-299778.pdf (accessed 11 February 2021)

Mitchell AL, Gandhi A, Scott-Coombes D, Perros P. Management of thyroid cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016; 130 S2:S150-S160 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215116000578

Moore S, Corner J, Haviland J Nurse led follow up and conventional medical follow up in management of patients with lung cancer: randomised trial. BMJ. 2002; 325:(7373)1145-1147 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7373.1145

Murchie P, Norwood PF, Pietrucin-Materek M, Porteous T, Hannaford PC, Ryan M. Determining cancer survivors' preferences to inform new models of follow-up care. Br J Cancer. 2016; 115:(12)1495-1503 https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2016.352

NHS Improvement. Innovation to implementation: stratified pathways of care for people living with cancer. A ‘how to’ guide. 2016. https://tinyurl.com/hmf8lg6z (accessed 10 February 2021)

Saltbaek L, Karlsen RV, Bidstrup PE MyHealth: specialist nurse-led follow-up in breast cancer. A randomized controlled trial—development and feasibility. Acta Oncol (Madr). 2019; 58:(5)619-626 https://doi.org/10.1080/0284186X.2018.1563717

Samuels MH, Kolobova I, Smeraglio A, Peters D, Janowsky JS, Schuff KG. The effects of levothyroxine replacement or suppressive therapy on health status, mood, and cognition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014; 99:(3)843-851 https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2013-3686

Simo R, Homer J, Clarke P Follow-up after treatment for head and neck cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016; 130 S2:S208-S211 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215116000645

Strand E, Nygren I, Bergkvist L, Smedh K. Nurse or surgeon follow-up after rectal cancer: a randomized trial. Colorectal Dis. 2011; 13:(9)999-1003 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-1318.2010.02317.x

To J, Goldberg AS, Jones J A systematic review of randomized controlled trials for management of persistent post-treatment fatigue in thyroid cancer survivors. Thyroid. 2015; 25:(2)198-210 https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2014.0418

Tortora GJ, Derrickson BH. Tortora's principles of anatomy and physiology, 15th edn. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons; 2017

Webber M. The role of the CNS in the care of patients with head and neck cancer. Cancer Nursing Practice. 2008; 7:(8)35-39 https://doi.org/10.7748/cnp2008.10.7.8.35.c6773

Welch SJ. Twenty years of patient satisfaction research applied to the emergency department: a qualitative review. Am J Med Qual. 2010; 25:(1)64-72 https://doi.org/10.1177/1062860609352536

Wells M, Semple CJ, Lane C. A national survey of healthcare professionals' views on models of follow-up, holistic needs assessment and survivorship care for patients with head and neck cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2015; 24:(6)873-883 https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.12285

Establishing a nurse-led thyroid cancer follow-up clinic

25 February 2021

Thyroid Cancer

02 February 2021

Volume 30 · Issue 4

ISSN (print): 0966-0461

ISSN (online): 2052-2819

Abstract

Thyroid cancer is a complex disease requiring management by a large multidisciplinary team. The number of patients with a diagnosis of thyroid cancer is significantly increasing year-on-year, and traditional models of consultant-led follow up are no longer sustainable. Although nurse-led cancer follow-up clinics are becomining increasingly common, thyroid cancer nurse-led follow-up clinics are rare. An excellent understanding of the disease, treatment and management of risk of disease recurrence is essential for safe patient care, and is discussed in this article. The clinic discussed uses the skill set of head and neck nurse specialists, including psychological support, coping strategies for long-term side effects of treatment and non-medical prescribing. A patient survey of the service revealed high levels of patient satisfaction and a desire to continue face-to-face consultations rather than telephone clinics.

The past 30 years have seen a rapid increase in the number of patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer, currently around 3700 cases per year (Figure 1) (Cancer Research UK, 2021). Thyroid cancer is a very rare disease and accounts for less than 1% of all cancers. However, the incidence of thyroid cancer in the UK has increased by 164% since the early 1990s (Cancer Research UK, 2021). In 2015-2017 there were 3685 new cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed in the UK. Thyroid cancer predominantly affects young women aged 35 to 39 years, and there appears to be little, if any, impact from deprivation rates on its incidence (Cancer Research UK, 2021).

Patients typically present with a painless lump at the root of the neck that gradually increases in size. Other symptoms can include:

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

Limited access to clinical or professional articles
Unlimited access to the latest news, blogs and video content

Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Thyroid cancer

Nurse-led clinic

Stratification

Patient satisfactionn

Cancer risk