Disease: Thyroid Cancer

The Facts on Thyroid Cancer

Only 1 out of 20 tumors that develop on a person's thyroid gland will turn out to be cancerous. But for about 37,000 U.S. adults this year, a swollen thyroid is a sign of thyroid cancer.

The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck that releases hormones that regulate the body's metabolism (how it uses energy to perform its many processes). Tiny nodules can form on the thyroid gland, but they're often harmless and remain in the gland storing excess thyroid hormone. Not all thyroid nodules are harmless, however. Some of these small tumors turn out to be thyroid cancer.

Types of Thyroid Cancer
There are different types of cells in the thyroid gland, and a different kind of cancer can form from each of these cell types. Here are the forms of thyroid cancer that can develop:

  • Papillary carcinoma. This is the most common form of thyroid cancer; 80 percent of all thyroid cancers are diagnosed as papillary carcinoma. It's slow-growing, can occur in both sections or "lobes" of the thyroid (though it's usually confined to just one lobe), and it may spread to the lymph nodes located in the neck.
  • Follicular carcinoma. This is the second most common type of thyroid cancer following papillary carcinoma — about 1 in 10 cases of thyroid cancer are considered follicular carcinoma. This type of thyroid cancer may spread to the lungs or bones, and it's a more serious cancer than papillary carcinoma.
  • Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). This thyroid cancer develops in the C cells, which produce the hormone calcitonin. MTC makes up about 5 percent of all cases of thyroid cancer. This cancer is more difficult to detect and treat, and the prognosis is generally worse.
  • Hurthle cell carcinoma. This thyroid cancer is another form of follicular carcinoma. This type of thyroid cancer is more difficult to detect and treat than the others but is less common; accounting for only 4 percent of all cases of thyroid cancer.

Even rarer forms of thyroid cancer exist, including anaplastic carcinoma, thyroid lymphoma, and thyroid sarcoma.

Overall, the outlook for patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer is very good. Even in the more serious forms of thyroid cancer with a poorer prognosis, treatment can be very effective. With the exception of the very rare anaplastic carcinoma, thyroid cancer is rarely fatal, with a survival rate of 97 percent across all types of thyroid cancer.

Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer
Unlike other types of thyroid disease, such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), thyroid cancer doesn't affect the amount of hormone the thyroid gland produces. These other, non-cancerous forms of thyroid disease affect metabolism and can lead to symptoms of anxiety or depression, weight gain or weight loss, lethargy, or nervousness.

Because thyroid cancer doesn't affect hormone production, it causes different symptoms, which can include:

  • Swelling or a lump in the neck
  • Problems swallowing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • A hoarse voice or other voice changes
  • Frequent cough
  • Throat and neck pain
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Symptoms can vary depending on the type of thyroid cancer you have.

Treating Thyroid Cancer
Most of the time, thyroid surgery is required to treat thyroid cancer. The kind of surgery and other treatments you need will depend on the type of thyroid cancer you've been diagnosed with, and how far it has spread. Treatments for thyroid cancer include:

  • Surgery. Surgical intervention of thyroid cancer involves removing all or a portion of the thyroid gland. Sometimes, the lymph nodes may also be removed if the cancer has spread.
  • Radiation. Either radioactive iodine or external radiation therapy may be administered to ensure that all of the cancer has been removed from the thyroid gland. In radioactive iodine therapy, radioactive iodine is introduced into the body (by swallowing a capsule or a liquid) and absorbed by the thyroid. The radioactive material then destroys the cancer cells. Radiation may also be delivered by an external beam to kill cancer cells.
  • Chemotherapy. Though rarely used as a thyroid cancer treatment, chemotherapy may be attempted if surgery and radiation aren't effective, or if the cancer has spread throughout the body.

Complications of Thyroid Cancer
Without detection and treatment, thyroid cancer can spread to other parts of the body including the nearby lymph nodes, or even the bones or lungs. When cancer spreads, it can become more serious and difficult to treat.

Growing thyroid cancer tumors can damage the larynx (voice box) or the nerves in the throat, and cause changes to the voice. Surgery can also cause some damage to the vocal cords.

Surgery also often results in insufficient thyroid hormone production — or none at all, if the entire thyroid gland is removed. In these instances, hormones must be taken in the form of a pill to supplement what the body can no longer produce. Insufficient calcium levels can also result from surgery.

Though all forms of cancer are serious, when thyroid cancer symptoms are spotted early and it's diagnosed and treated promptly, the overall prognosis is quite good. 

Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com

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