Thyroid cancer is the growth of abnormal cells that begins in the thyroid, a gland located in the neck. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate your heart, control your blood pressure, and impact your body temperature and weight.
When Thyroid cancer first appears, you might not experience any symptoms. The symptoms of this condition usually show up over time as the abnormal cells grow into a tumour. Swelling in the neck, voice changes, and swallowing issues can often be the first symptoms that patients notice.
The symptoms of thyroid cancer are:
There are various types of thyroid cancer. The causes and risk factors for the various cancers are similar, but the type of cancer can impact treatment.
Papillary: This is the most common kind of thyroid cancer, and it happens most often in patients aged 30-50. These cancers respond well to treatment overall, even if the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes of the neck.
Follicular: This kind of cancer is more common in people who are older than 50. This cancer cell does not spread to the lymph nodes in the neck but can spread to other parts of the body. The most common location that this cancer spreads to are the lungs and the bones.
Medullary: Medullary is one of the rarer kinds of thyroid cancer. It begins in the T cells in the thyroid, which produces the calcitonin hormone. This cancer is often diagnosed early due to the calcitonin levels in the blood.
Anaplastic: This cancer grows rapidly and can be hard to treat. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is most common in those over the age of 60. The symptoms are often severe quite early and cause a swollen and painful neck and difficulty swallowing.
The cause of these cancers is not clear, but DNA changes are responsible for the formation of abnormal cells in the thyroid. You will be more at risk for thyroid cancer if you are female, if you have been exposed to high levels of radiation, and if you have certain genetic conditions like Cowden syndrome or a family history of thyroid cancer.
Diagnosis involves a physical exam by a doctor. The doctor will look for lumps and nodules in your neck that indicate that you have a tumour in your thyroid. Thyroid function blood tests will be taken to see what your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are. Your doctor might also ask for imaging to be done on your thyroid to look for a tumour.
If your family has a history of thyroid cancer, you will be monitored more closely for early symptoms. Eating a healthy diet and avoiding smoking can help prevent this condition.
Treatment of thyroid cancer is approached differently depending on the type of cancer that you have. Papillary carcinoma and follicular carcinoma can typically be treated with surgery. The follow-up care for these cancer types will be radioactive iodine treatment to kill thyroid cells and shrink an enlarged thyroid.
Medullary thyroid cancer is treated with surgery and radiotherapy. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma usually cannot be treated surgically, but patients can typically undergo radiotherapy and chemotherapy to control their symptoms.