Cancer causes cells to grow uncontrolled in your body. Cancers are named for the part of the body where they start. Thyroid cancer is cancer that begins in the thyroid gland.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the throat. It is part of the endocrine system, the body system that produces hormones to regulate the body’s functions.
The thyroid makes the hormone thyroxine, which helps the body regulate:
When thyroid cancer develops, the abnormal cancer cells can crowd out normal cells. They can also spread to other parts of the body.
The
While thyroid cancer can affect anyone, it occurs in women almost three times more than men. In fact, it is the
Factors including overexposure to radiation can impact your risk for thyroid cancer. For example, when Chernobyl experienced its nuclear-reactor accident in 1986, there was a
Keep reading to learn a bit more about thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer can mimic other diseases and ailments.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer can include:
A risk factor indicates that a person with certain characteristics or medical history may have a greater chance of getting a specific disease. Some risk factors can be changed, while others cannot. But just because you have one or several risk factors doesn’t mean you will inevitably get the disease they are associated with.
Risk factors associated with thyroid cancer can include:
A
Genetics may be the cause of thyroid cancer in an estimated
Thyroid cancers are relatively uncommon. However, according to the
The increase may be attributed to experts’ knowledge about thyroid cancer, the ability to detect the disease, and advancements in medical technology rather than because more people are getting thyroid cancer.
There are three main types of cancer, and the look of the cancer cells classifies them as:
Types of thyroid cancer can include:
Papillary thyroid cancer is a well-differentiated form of thyroid cancer. It’s the most common type of thyroid cancer. This type of cancer cell grows slowly. However, when they do grow, they can spread to lymph nodes.
Papillary cancer is often treated successfully and has a low rate of mortality.
Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) is the second most common type of differentiated thyroid cancer.
There
Like papillary cancer, FTC has a good outlook, even though it can spread to other parts of the body when untreated.
Hurthle cell thyroid carcinoma accounts for
Factors like age, tumor size at diagnosis, cancer stage at diagnosis, and sex may affect the outlook for people with Hurthle cell cancer.
Sporadic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) comes from the C cells of your thyroid gland. These cells make a hormone that controls the amount of calcium in your blood.
Between
If diagnosed in stages I through III, MTC can have a good outlook.
This type of medullary thyroid cancer is hereditary and runs in families. It can affect both children and adults.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer. It is undifferentiated, which means that the cells do not look like normal thyroid gland cells.
While rare, this type of cancer can also metastasize to distant locations in the body. Because it spreads fast, it may not be diagnosed until it has already spread. This can make treating it more difficult. All anaplastic thyroid cancers are considered stage IV.
This is a rare type of thyroid cancer. It begins in the white blood cells located within the thyroid gland.
Thyroid lymphoma can occur frequently in people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a chronic autoimmune disease that damages the thyroid.
In general, thyroid lymphoma may have a good outlook. Factors that can influence outlook may include age, tumor size at diagnosis, stage, and treatment type.
The results of a physical exam or laboratory test can reveal the presence of thyroid cancer. For example, an examination of the neck may show a small or large mass in the thyroid. Lymph nodes may also enlarge and become detected.
Lab tests and procedures used to diagnose thyroid cancer include:
Treatment will depend on what type of cancer you have, tumor size, and if it has metastasized or spread.
Removing part or all of your thyroid is the preferred treatment for cancer tumors measuring
The procedure may affect your body’s ability to produce thyroid hormones. If that’s the case, oral supplements can replace thyroid hormones.
A laryngoscopy may be performed after surgery to ensure your vocal cords are working as they should.
Your thyroid gland absorbs almost all of the iodine in your body. So, by taking in radioactive iodine, doctors may use this thyroid function to kill cancer cells.
Doctors may use radioiodine therapy after surgery to destroy any thyroid tissue left after the procedure or to treat thyroid cancer that has spread to your lymph nodes.
Using external radiation waves targeted at the thyroid gland can destroy cancer cells. Doctors use this type of therapy primarily in medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancers.
Chemotherapy is a drug injected into your vein or taken orally to fight cancer cells. Doctors may add this to your treatment along with radiation for those diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Advancements in medicine have led scientists to develop newer drugs that can target the changes inside cells that cause them to become cancerous.
The drugs are also known as kinase inhibitors. They can help discourage the protein kinase from telling other cells how to grow. The drugs can also block tumors from forming the new blood vessels that they need to grow.
Even if you have surgery to remove your thyroid gland, you will likely still need treatment. The doctor will look at the risk that the cancer may come back and the potential effects it had or still has on your body.
Specific treatments, such as radioiodine ablation therapy and chemotherapy, may also cause side effects.
Also, if your thyroid gland is removed, you will likely need to take medication daily to replace the hormones your thyroid gland was responsible for. This medication, called levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Tirosint, and others), helps maintain your metabolism while preventing the reoccurrence of cancer.
People diagnosed in the early stages of thyroid cancer generally respond well to treatment and go into remission. Some types of thyroid cancer have a higher rate of returning, or recurring, than others.
Thyroid cancer has a
More specific survival rates depend on age, the size and cell type of the tumor, how fast it is growing, and if it has spread to other parts of the body.
In most cases, the cause of thyroid cancer isn’t known, which means that there’s no known way to prevent it for many people.
Medullary thyroid cancer can be hereditary, so it’s best to talk to a doctor if your family has a history of this type of thyroid cancer. The doctor can refer you to a genetic counselor who can determine how likely you are to develop thyroid cancer.
There are many different forms of thyroid cancer. They’re classified by type of cancer cell.
Although you can’t prevent thyroid cancer, most types are treatable. Doctors will often remove all or part of the thyroid gland and use targeted therapies to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Post-surgery, you may still require regular follow-up visits with your doctor to monitor any signs that the cancer might come back or recur.
Last medically reviewed on February 9, 2022
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Current Version
Feb 9, 2022
Written By
Verneda Lights
Edited By
Heather Hobbs
Medically Reviewed By
Kelly Wood, MD
Copy Edited By
Megan McMorris
Apr 7, 2017
Written By
Verneda Lights
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