{"id":3027,"date":"2025-03-20T03:42:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T03:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thyroidology.au\/thyroid_aid\/?page_id=3027"},"modified":"2025-06-27T05:08:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T05:08:12","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thyroidology.au\/thyroid_aid\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use this website"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This website is a decision aid<\/strong> designed specifically for patients who may have a low-risk thyroid cancer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use a decision aid to help you make a decision about your health in consultation with your doctor. This approach is called shared decision making<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The goal of a decision aid is to<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Provide information<\/strong> about your treatment options
2. Help you think through what is important to you<\/strong>
3. Help you record your thoughts and values<\/strong> (so you can share them with your doctor or others)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A decision aid is not <\/strong>going to make a decision for you.
It is not <\/strong>going to direct you to choose a particular option.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For most people, the next step is to find out more information about the decision that you need to make. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click on the button to proceed<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Some more questions you might have before you proceed<\/p>\n\n\n

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Why do I need a decision aid?<\/p>\n\t\t\t

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If you have a low risk thyroid cancer, there is often a choice about the treatment you have.
Each choice has its own experience, benefits, and potential risks, and it is not clear that one option is definitely better than others.\u00a0
Your surgeon will provide clear information regarding these options, and may suggest to you a recommended course of action.
However, your preferences are also important.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This decision aid will explain the different options available for your initial treatment, and help you to make an informed decision, along with your surgeon.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n

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What is a low-risk thyroid cancer?<\/p>\n\t\t\t

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Many thyroid cancers grow slowly, and have a low risk of spreading outside the thyroid gland. Because of this, there is a low chance that they will cause serious harm to a person. Also, this means that there may be a choice of how the cancer is treated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general, a low risk thyroid cancer is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n