Heat zaps thyroid tumors without cutting: new study tests if It's as good as surgery

This study compares two treatments for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer: standard surgery and a less invasive option called ultrasound-guided thermal ablation, which uses heat (radiofrequency, microwave, or laser) to destroy tumors. Researchers will track about 3,700 patients aged 18–80 to see how often the cancer comes back or spreads, and also build an AI model to predict who will do best with ablation. The goal is to see if ablation can be a safe, effective alternative to surgery for small thyroid cancers.