Reducing unnecessary complete thyroid removal for low-risk thyroid cancer
A Multi-level Intervention to Reduce Total Thyroidectomy Overuse for Low-Risk Cancer
This project will try a program that helps surgeons and clinics choose less-extensive surgery for people with low-risk thyroid cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11187181 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, the team will adapt proven behavior-change tools into a multi-part program aimed at surgeons and surgical practices to encourage safer, less extensive operations. They will package and user-test the materials, then roll the program out through a statewide hospital collaborative where surgical decisions are tracked. The main outcome is whether the program lowers rates of total thyroidectomy for low-risk cancers, and the team will also measure how surgeons and clinics change their decision-making and how patients fare. The work focuses on real-world clinical settings rather than lab experiments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with low-risk thyroid cancer who are deciding between total thyroidectomy and less-extensive surgical options.
Not a fit: Patients with high-risk thyroid cancers or other clinical reasons that require total thyroidectomy are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could mean fewer patients with low-risk thyroid cancer get full thyroid removals, reducing complications and improving long-term quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Related surgeon- and practice-level behavior-change programs have reduced overuse in other surgical areas and preliminary work supports applying this approach to thyroid surgery.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pitt, Susan C — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Pitt, Susan C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.