What is Thyroid Cancer? Its Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the cells of the thyroid gland, which is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolism, heart rate, and body temperature.
The most common types of thyroid cancer are papillary and follicular thyroid cancer.
- Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer, it usually grows slowly and has a good prognosis.
- Follicular thyroid cancer is less common than papillary cancer and it can grow and spread more aggressively.
- Medullary thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer are rarer and more aggressive forms of thyroid cancer.
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the most dangerous and hard to treat. It can grow quickly and often spreads to other parts of your body and the tissue around it. This rare type of cancer makes up about 2% of all cases of thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer can develop in people of any age, but it is more common in women and people over the age of 60. The symptoms of thyroid cancer can include a lump or swelling in the neck, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and persistent pain in the neck. However, many people with thyroid cancer do not have any symptoms, and the cancer is often found during a routine physical examination.
What are the causes of thyroid cancer?
We don't really know what causes thyroid cancer, but we do know that there are a few things that may make it more likely to happen.
Radiation exposure: Being exposed to ionising radiation, like that used in medical imaging tests or radiation therapy for other types of cancer, can raise the risk of getting thyroid cancer.
Family history: If you have a family history of thyroid cancer or other cancers that affect the endocrine system, your risk goes up.
Some genetic conditions, like Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) or Familial Medullary Thyroid Cancer (FMTC), can make it more likely that someone will get thyroid cancer.
Exposure to certain chemicals: Pesticides, herbicides, and some industrial chemicals can raise the risk of thyroid cancer.
History of benign thyroid nodules or thyroiditis: Having a history of benign thyroid nodules or thyroiditis can also raise the risk of getting thyroid cancer.
It's important to remember that many people with these risk factors do not get thyroid cancer, and many people who do get thyroid cancer have no known risk factors.
What are the different stages of thyroid cancer?
A staging system is used by medical professionals to evaluate whether or not the thyroid cancer has spread and how far it has progressed. In most cases, cancer cells in your thyroid will metastasise first to the lymph nodes and adjacent structures in your body before they spread further. After this stage, cancer has a greater chance of spreading to lymph nodes, organs, and bones further away.
There are four stages of thyroid carcinoma, ranging from stage 1 (I) through stage 4. (IV). To put it another way, when the number is larger, it indicates that cancer has spread further. Talk to your healthcare practitioner about your unique diagnosis if you want to understand more about cancer staging and how it applies to your situation.
What are the signs that someone might have thyroid cancer?
A lump or swelling in the neck, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or a change in voice, and pain in the neck or throat are all potential symptoms of thyroid cancer. A quick or irregular heartbeat, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and an unintentional loss of weight are some of the additional symptoms that may be present.
It is essential to keep in mind, however, that many of these symptoms can also be brought on by illnesses that are not malignant and do not necessarily point to the presence of cancer. A qualified medical practitioner is the only one who can arrive at an accurate diagnosis following a comprehensive examination and potentially additional testing.
How is thyroid cancer detected/diagnosed?
Most of the time, thyroid cancer is found using a combination of tests, such as a physical exam, blood tests, and imaging studies.
- During a physical exam, a doctor will look for lumps or bumps in the neck and may use a stethoscope to listen to the thyroid gland for any strange sounds.
- Blood tests, like thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) tests, can show if the thyroid is working normally. Other blood tests, like a thyroglobulin test and a thyroid scan, may also be used to see if the thyroid is doing anything strange.
- Imaging tests, like an ultrasound or a CT scan, can be used to make detailed pictures of the thyroid and the areas around it. With these pictures, any lumps or other problems in the thyroid can be found.
- If there is an abnormal growth, a biopsy may be done to take a small piece of tissue to look at under a microscope. The biopsy is the best way to prove for sure that someone has thyroid cancer.
It's important to remember that some thyroid nodules are harmless and don't need treatment. Before deciding on a treatment, it's best to get a biopsy.
How does cancer of the thyroid get managed or treated?
Most of the time, thyroid cancer is treated or managed with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. The type and stage of cancer, as well as the patient's overall health, will affect the treatment plan.
Surgery is the most common way to treat thyroid cancer. During surgery, all or part of the thyroid gland is usually taken out. Depending on how far along the cancer is, the neck lymph nodes may also be taken out. After surgery, the person may need hormone replacement therapy to make up for the hormones that the thyroid would normally make.
High-energy rays are used in radiation therapy to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. This treatment can kill any cancer cells that are still alive after surgery, or in some cases, it can be used instead of surgery.
By lowering the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the body, which can slow the growth of cancer cells, hormone therapy may be used. This treatment can be used along with surgery or radiation therapy.
As part of their treatment, some patients may also get chemotherapy or targeted therapy.
It's important to remember that each patient's treatment plan will be different, and the best course of action should be talked about with the oncologist.
Follow-up care, like regular blood tests, physical exams, and imaging studies, will be needed to keep an eye on the patient's health and find out if cancer has come back.