6 manifestations of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a malignant tumor of the secretory system originating from the follicular region of the thyroid gland and may be associated with genetics, ionizing radiation, and iodine intake. The early symptoms of this disease are not obvious and often consist of painless neck lumps. As the tumor increases in size, symptoms such as enlargement of the thyroid gland, dyspnea, dysphagia and local pain may appear, but there are no clear six manifestations. If thyroid cancer is combined with abnormal thyroid function, hyperthyroidism such as panic and hyperphagia may appear; or hypothyroidism such as weakness and drowsiness. In case of medullary thyroid carcinoma, it may also cause diarrhea, flushing and twitching of hands and feet due to the secretion of calcitonin and 5-hydroxytryptamine. As the tumor grows larger and the disease develops, some patients will develop endocrine disorders. If the tumor gradually presses the trachea in the throat, it may cause difficulty in breathing, and if it presses the esophagus, it may cause difficulty in swallowing. It may also spread from the neck to the shoulder, occipital area or ear, thus causing pain in the corresponding area. When cancer cells continue to spread to other parts of the body, it may cause abnormalities at the metastatic site. For example, if it invades the lungs, it may cause difficulty in breathing or coughing up blood, and metastasis to the bone may lead to bone pain or even pathological fracture. Therefore, once thyroid cancer is detected, it is recommended that patients should cooperate with doctors for active treatment as soon as possible to avoid affecting the treatment timeframe resulting in poor prognosis and affecting patients’ quality of life.