Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer General Information

Thyroid Cancer is the generic medical term used for the presence of a malignant tumor of the thyroid gland. Thyroid nodules are common, and a very large percentage of these are benign (non-cancerous). They may be identified through a procedure called ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration, or USG/FNA, or more commonly through the surgical removal of the gland and further histological examination. The presence of malignant tumors however may lead to severe complications.

There are four kinds of malignant tumors that may be present in the case of Thyroid Cancer. These have been classified by the aspect of their cells when examined through a microscope, and they are known as papillary, medullar, follicular or anaplastic tumors. In most cases the tumors are either papillary or follicular, and they have a slow growth rate. Recurrence is possible, but they are typically not fatal for patients that are of less than 45 years old. Medullar tumors also have a good curing rate, however if metastasis occurs the situation may become more complex. The last type of tumors, the anaplastic type, present a very fast growth rate and generally have a very poor response to therapy.

According to the latest studies, females are more commonly affected by this type of cancer than males, with an incidence rate of 3 to 1. Also, it has been noted that the incidence rate in Asians is larger than in people of any other race.

Thyroid Cancer Symptoms

In most cases of Thyroid Cancer, symptoms are not present in the early stages of development of the nodules. However, as the cancer grows, it is likely for the patient to experience trouble breathing, hoarseness of the voice or difficulties when trying to swallow. The patient’s lymph nodes may swell, especially in the neck area, and the patient may present a lump which sometimes may grow rapidly, located in the front of the neck and just beneath the formation known as Adam’s apple. Pain may also accompany the presence of malignant tumors; the pain may be in the throat or the neck, and it may spread up towards the ears.

Many of the symptoms that are present in Thyroid Cancer are common for other medical conditions as well. If the patient begins to experience any of the above symptoms, it is advised that he or she is consulted by a specialized health care professional to determine whether the symptoms are caused by cancer or if they are signs of a different affection. In any case, the patient should never self-diagnose, as inappropriate treatment may lead to an aggravation of the actual disorder, as well as possibly severe complications. It is possible that some patients affected by Thyroid Cancer may display symptoms that are fairly rare, or even unique to their case. In such cases the specialized health care professionals must perform a series of tests in order to determine exactly the nature of the affection before placing the correct diagnosis.

Thyroid Cancer Treatment

In most cases where the examining health care professional diagnosed Thyroid Cancer, surgery is the best option for treating the affection. The thyroid gland is removed from the patient’s body through a thyroidectomy, and if needed the operation is extended to remove the affected lymph nodes in the area as well. Typically this will also greatly reduce the risks of cancer recurrence. There are some risks associated with this operation, such as damage to the parathyroid glands which may result in low calcium levels, or damage to the nerves in the area that may lead to permanent damage to the patient’s voice; however the chances for such situations to occur are low, especially if the operation is carried out by competent surgeons.

After the surgery the Thyroid Cancer patient will need to take thyroid hormone medication for the rest of his or her life, in order to replace the hormone secretion of the gland. Such medication as Levothyroxine is typically employed. The exact dosage is specifically calculated for each patient, and regular blood tests need to be performed in order to ensure that the dosage is appropriate. Having the exact dosage is extremely important, as too high a dosage may result in the patient losing weight, in tremors, palpitations, frequent bowel movement or osteoporosis, while too low hormone levels may result in weight gain, dry skin and hair and sensitivity to cold.

Also, in cases of Thyroid Cancer, surgery may be followed by radioactive iodine screening and therapy. This may be used to determine whether any thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer cells have remained in the patient’s organism, either in the neck or in other parts of the body. In cases where normal thyroid tissue still exits within the patient’s organism, it will be eliminated through therapy involving moderate doses of radioactive iodine; larger doses are used if any malignant cells have spread in the organism. As thyroid tissue as well as thyroid cancer cells take up the radioactive iodine, the rest of the patient’s body is less affected. This screening and – if necessary – therapy usually occur within 6 weeks after the surgery.

In the case of medullar Thyroid Cancer, radioiodine treatment is not an option as the cells will not absorb the iodine. In such cases, the patient will undergo chemotherapy – although not all patients affected by this type of cancer will respond to the treatment. Chemotherapy is often employed in cases of anaplastic tumors, when surgery is no longer an option; the medication will shrink the tumors, or the same effect may be obtained through radiation therapy. Typically, in cases where the cancer did not spread to other parts of the body, the patient will return to a healthy state without complications. However, recurrence of the disease is possible if the malignant cells have spread through the organism. In such cases, they may develop tumors in other organs or tissues. Regular blood tests may be performed in order to determine the presence of new tumors, but generally the recurrence rate is very low if no new tumors have appeared within 5 years from the treatment.