According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 56,870 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, and 2,010 people will die of this disease.  The incidence rate is expected to rise dramatically by 2019.

Although a cancer diagnosis of any kind can be scary, the most common forms of thyroid cancer have a very high long-term survival rate - over 90% -  especially when diagnosed early, according to Emad Kandil, M.D., chief of the Division of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Tulane.

"While thyroid surgical scars are usually well-tolerated by most patients, local pain, numbness, hypertrophic scarring or keloid formation are all potential adverse complications of the conventional neck approach," said Kandil.  

Robotic assisted thyroid and parathyroid surgery that eliminates a visible neck scar is a safe, novel approach in the hands of high-volume surgeons. Thousands of cases have been performed across the globe, and Tulane has the largest experience in the United States.  (To learn more about Tulane's experience with this procedure, please click on the Fox 8 News video link below.)

This surgical option is just one of many topics being discussed at the 9th Annual Tulane Symposium on Thyroid and Parathyroid Diseases, being held jointly with the Tulane Symposium on Skin Malignancies April 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

"The purpose of this educational event is to provide a platform for the multidisciplinary management of patients with thyroid/parathyroid diseases and skin malignancies," said Dr. Kandil.  "Experts from across the globe will discuss current approaches and best practices."

The symposia are intended for physicians, allied health professionals and medical residents.  For more information, visit http://bit.ly/TulaneThyroid or call Tulane's Center for Continuing Education at 504-988-5466.

For more information on "scarless" thyroid surgery, contact the Tulane Thyroid Center at (504) 988-5451 or email Dr. Kandil at ekandil@tulane.edu.