The thyroid is a small but very important gland that is often overlooked because it is in a quiet part of the body. This gland, which resembles a butterfly and is located at the base of your neck, is essential for controlling hormone balance, energy production, and metabolism. When thyroid cells proliferate uncontrolled, they might create thyroid cancer.
What is thyroid cancer?
The thyroid, a little gland at the base of your neck shaped like a butterfly, is where thyroid cancer begins to grow. Your body's metabolism, or how it consumes energy, is regulated by the hormones produced by this gland. Additionally, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature are all regulated by thyroid hormones. As a subtype of endocrine cancer, thyroid cancer often responds well to treatment and has a high chance of cure.
What are the types of thyroid cancer?
Healthcare providers classify thyroid cancer based on the type of cells from which the cancer grows. Types of thyroid cancer include:
Papillary: About eighty percent of all thyroid cancers are papillary. This particular cancer kind develops more slowly. Although papillary thyroid cancer often spreads to the lymph nodes in your neck, therapy for the condition is very effective. Thyroid carcinoma in the parenchyma is very treatable and seldom deadly.
Follicular: Up to 15% of thyroid cancer cases are diagnosed as follicular thyroid carcinoma. It is more possible for this cancer to spread to your organs, including your lungs, and bones. Treatment for metastatic cancer, or cancer that spreads, might be more difficult.
Medullary: About 2% of thyroid tumors are medullary. One-quarter of individuals diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer have a family history of the condition. One possible cause is a defective gene (genetic mutation).
Anaplastic: The most difficult form to treat is aggressive thyroid cancer. It often spreads into nearby tissue and other bodily areas and grows rapidly. Roughly 2% of thyroid cancer cases are diagnosed with this uncommon form of the disease.
What are the phases of thyroid cancer?
To detect whether or not thyroid cancer has spread, doctors employ a staging system. When thyroid cancer cells spread, they usually start by affecting the lymph nodes and surrounding tissues. Following that, distant lymph nodes, organs, and bones may experience cancerous growth.
There are four stages of thyroid cancer: I, II, III, and IV. To put it simply, the greater the number, the more widespread the disease has become. Consult your healthcare practitioner for further information about cancer staging and how it relates to your particular diagnosis.
How common is thyroid cancer?
As the fastest-growing disease in the United States, thyroid cancer is rather frequent, with an estimated 44,280 new cases in 2023. People in their 30s to 60s are usually affected, with women experiencing it three times more often than males. Thyroid cancer has a decent five-year survival rate when identified early, despite its growing prevalence.
Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer
Which symptoms indicate a thyroid cancer risk?
A thyroid nodule is a bump or growth in your neck that you or your healthcare professional may feel. If you have a thyroid nodule, don't freak out. Non-cancerous nodules make up the majority. Out of every 20, only around 3 thyroid nodules prove to be malignant (cancerous).
A lump or swelling in the neck
Pain in the neck or throat
Difficulty swallowing or breathing
Hoarseness or changes in the voice
What symptoms indicate a spread of thyroid cancer?
You may have symptoms like these if your thyroid cancer has metastasize
moved, to other parts of your body:
Fatigue
Appetite loss.
Vomiting as well as nausea.
Unexpected weight reduction.
Causes of Thyroid Cancer
What leads to cancer of the thyroid?
Why some cells get cancerous (malignant) and assault your thyroid is a mystery
to experts. Risk may be increased by a few things, including radiation exposure,
a diet deficient in iodine, and defective genes. A few other risk factors include:
Thyroid enlargement (Goiter)
Thyroid cancer or thyroid disease in the family history?
Thyroiditis refers to thyroid gland inflammation.
Mutations in genes that result in endocrine illnesses
Low consumption of Iodine.
Obesity.
Radiation treatment for cancer of the head and neck, particularly in children.
Exposure to radioactive fallout from an accident at a power station or from nuclear weapons.
Diagnoses and Examinations
How is the diagnosis of thyroid cancer made?
Your doctor may request one or more of the following tests if you have an enlarged thyroid nodule or other indicators of thyroid cancer:
Blood tests: A thyroid blood test measures hormone levels and determines the health of your thyroid.
Biopsy: To check for cancer cells, your doctor will take thyroid cells using a fine-needle aspiration biopsy. If cancer cells have progressed to lymph nodes, this may be detected via a sentinel node biopsy. Ultrasound technology may be used by your clinician to facilitate these biopsy procedures.
Radioiodine scan: This test is useful for identifying thyroid cancer and assessing the spread of the disease. You ingest a tablet that contains radioactive iodine in a safe dosage (radioiodine). Your thyroid gland takes a few hours to process the iodine. Your healthcare professional measures the radiation level in the gland using a specialized instrument. Further testing is necessary to establish the existence of cancer in areas with lower radioactivity.
Imaging tests: Thyroid cancer and cancer metastases may be identified by radioactive iodine, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.
Management and Treatment
What are the management and treatment options for thyroid cancer?
Treatment for thyroid cancer depends on the type, stage, and overall health of the patient.
Surgery: The primary treatment for most thyroid cancers. Options include thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland) or lobectomy (removal of part of the thyroid).
Radioactive Iodine Therapy: A tablet or liquid carrying a larger dosage of radioactive iodine than that used in a diagnostic radioiodine scan is swallowed during radioiodine treatment. Radioiodine shrinks and kills cancerous thyroid cells. This is a relatively safe course of therapy. Your thyroid gland absorbs most radioiodine, whereas the rest of your body receives less.
External Beam Radiation Therapy: Used for advanced thyroid cancers that do not respond to radioactive iodine therapy.
Targeted Therapy: Medications that target specific genetic mutations in thyroid cancer cells, often used for medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancers.
Chemotherapy: Generally reserved for advanced cases where other treatments are ineffective.
