A part of the body’s endocrine system, the thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones that support numerous bodily functions. Tumours can develop on the thyroid, and in most cases these tumours are benign, or non-cancerous. When a growth is cancerous, timely treatment is crucial to experience the best possible outcome.
Both cancerous and non-cancerous thyroid growths can cause health problems like:
Upon experiencing these symptoms, individuals should visit their doctors for a comprehensive exam. Doctors typically perform a physical exam, blood testing, and diagnostic imaging when assessing thyroid growths. They can also perform a biopsy, which entails taking a small sample of tissue and testing it for cancerous cells.
Thyroid cancer stages range from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least serious. In some cases, doctors may recommend monitoring and frequent testing for small grade 1 tumours. More serious bouts of thyroid cancer can involve one or more of the following treatments:
People with thyroid cancer may also receive palliative care, which can involve the administration of pain medication. The goal of palliative care is to ease the discomfort associated with cancer or certain cancer treatments.