The severity of thyroid cancer is firstly related to pathological staging, and for poorly differentiated thyroid cancer, lymph node metastasis up to 5 nodes is often more serious.
The number, size and location of lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer are related to the severity of thyroid cancer. Usually, if the number of metastasis exceeds five, the size is over 2 cm, or there is distant metastasis, it suggests that the thyroid cancer is more serious, but the severity and prognosis of thyroid cancers with different pathologic stages are different. Nail cancer can be divided into papillary nail cancer, follicular nail cancer, undifferentiated nail cancer and medullary carcinoma.
Papillary nail cancer is the most common, with low malignancy and early lymph node metastasis. Early detection and early treatment have better prognosis, and the five-year survival rate can reach 90%. Follicular type is moderately malignant, with more hematogenous metastasis and less lymph node metastasis, and poorer prognosis. Undifferentiated type is highly malignant, with early lymph node metastasis and the worst prognosis. Medullary carcinoma can have lymphatic metastasis in early stage and has poorer prognosis.
Therefore, regular thyroid examination, including laboratory tests and ultrasound examination, should be carried out to achieve “early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment” of thyroid cancer.