Our thyroid, shaped like a butterfly, is a gland that sits below the larynx, on either side of the trachea, and in the middle of the isthmus is a thin piece of tissue that connects the left and right lateral lobes and is often not palpable through the skin. It produces hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism.
Thyroid cancer may form when abnormal cells begin to arise in the thyroid gland. Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon. Most patients can be detected early and treated well. However, thyroid cancer may recur several years after treatment.
There are four main types of thyroid cancer:
- Papillary thyroid cancer: This is the most common type.
- follicular thyroid cancer: Hürthle cell carcinoma of the thyroid is a form of follicular thyroid cancer and is treated in the same way as the latter.
- Medullary thyroid cancer.
- Undifferentiated thyroid cancer (anaplastic thyroid cancer).
thyroid teratoma, thyroid lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma are the rarer types.
What are the causes of thyroid cancer?
Experts do not yet know what causes thyroid cancer. But like other cancers, changes in cellular DNA seem to play a role. These DNA changes may come from genetics or may occur as a result of aging. People who have been exposed to high levels of radiation are more likely to develop thyroid cancer. X-rays from dental treatment may not increase the chance of developing thyroid cancer, but having had radiation to the head, neck, or chest (especially in childhood) increases the risk.
What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?
Thyroid cancer can cause a variety of symptoms:
- Swelling or a lump in the neck, which is the most common symptom.
- Neck pain and sometimes ear pain.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Hard to breathe or constant wheezing.
- Heartness of voice.
- A frequent cough without a cold.
Some people may not have any symptoms and a neck lump or nodule may be found during a physical exam.
How do doctors diagnose thyroid cancer?
If a doctor suspects that a lump in a patient’s neck is thyroid cancer, a biopsy may be performed to test for the presence of cancer cells and to determine what type it is. The doctor will use a thin needle to aspirate a small piece of thyroid tissue, which is then examined under a microscope. Sometimes the biopsy results are inconclusive. This situation may require surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland before testing for cancer.
After the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient may feel turned upside down. Fear, sadness, and even anger are all human. It may be helpful to talk to a fellow thyroid cancer patient, and to ask your doctor if you can get help with supportive tissue.
How do doctors treat thyroid cancer?
Thyroid cancer is usually treated with surgery, usually in combination with radioactive iodine therapy, and rarely requires radiation or chemotherapy. Which treatment is needed depends on the patient’s age, the type of thyroid cancer, and the stage. Staging refers to the severity of the cancer and the extent of metastases, and is usually determined by the doctor using a radioactive iodine scan. After surgery to remove the thyroid, patients may need to take thyroid hormone medication for life to help regulate metabolism and other body functions.
What factors can affect prognosis and treatment options?
Patients’ prognosis and treatment choices depend on the following:
- Patient age and overall health status.
- Type and stage of thyroid cancer.
- The type and stage of thyroid cancer.
- The presence of multiple endocrine adenoma type 2B (MEN 2B).
- First diagnosis or recurrence.