The thyroid, a little gland at the base of your neck shaped like a butterfly, is where thyroid cancer begins to grow. Hormones that control your metabolism—the process by which your body uses energy—are produced by this gland.
Additionally, thyroid hormones regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Endocrine cancers include thyroid cancer, which has a good prognosis and is usually very curable.
What is the frequency of thyroid cancer?
Every year, over 53,000 Americans are diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The majority of thyroid malignancies respond well to treatment. Still, the illness claims the lives of roughly 2,000 people annually.
Thyroid cancer is three times more common in women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) than in men and those designated male at birth (AMAB). Men and people AMAB in their 60s and 70s, as well as women and people AFAB in their 40s and 50s, are most frequently diagnosed with the disease. The illness can strike children as well.
Which kinds of thyroid cancer exist?
Based on the kind of cells that the cancer develops from, medical professionals categorize thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer comes in various forms.
Papillary: Papillary thyroid cancers account for up to 80% of all cases. This particular cancer type grows more slowly. Despite the fact that papillary thyroid cancer frequently spreads to the lymph nodes in your neck, treatment for the condition is highly effective. Thyroid carcinoma in the parenchyma is very treatable and rarely deadly.
Follicular: Up to 15% of thyroid cancer diagnoses are related to follicular thyroid carcinoma. It is more likely for this cancer to spread to your organs, including your lungs, and bones. Treatment for metastatic cancer, or cancer that spreads, could be more difficult.
Medullary: Medullary thyroid cancer accounts for 2% of cases. A family history of the illness is present in 25% of cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma patients. There could be a genetic mutation (faulty gene) to blame.
Anaplastic: The most difficult kind of thyroid cancer to cure is anaplastic. It frequently spreads into nearby tissue and other bodily areas and grows swiftly. Roughly 2% of thyroid cancer cases are diagnosed with this uncommon form of the disease.
Signs and Origins
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 approximately 3 thyroid nodules prove to be malignant (cancerous).
Additional signs of thyroid carcinoma include:
- Breathing or swallowing difficulties.
- Voice loss (hoarseness).
- Enlarged lymph nodes in your throat.
What are the telltale indicators of metastatic thyroid cancer?
You may have symptoms like these if your thyroid cancer has metastasized, or moved, to other parts of your body:
- Fatigue.
- Appetite decline.
- Vomiting as well as nausea.
- Unexpected reduction in weight.
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 can be detected via a sentinel node biopsy. Ultrasound technology may be utilized by your provider 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 confirm the existence of cancer in areas with lower radioactivity.
- Imaging tests: Thyroid cancer and cancer metastases can be identified by radioactive iodine, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.
