Understanding Thyroid Cancer: Signs, Symptoms and Treatments

Cancer is an illness that results in the abnormal growth of cells in a particular part of the body. When cancer develops in the gland located in the front of the neck, it’s known as thyroid cancer. Approximately 12,000 men and 35,000 women get this specific disease in the United States every year. While about 2,000 people succumb to it every year, early detection of symptoms and timely treatment tend to have good results.

Types of Thyroid Cancers

There are five main types of thyroid cancer, including:

• Papillary thyroid cancer – The most common type of thyroid cancer. It grows slowly, is mostly found in a single lobe of the thyroid gland, and can spread to lymph nodes.
• Follicular thyroid cancer – Also grows slowly, but is far less common than papillary thyroid cancer. Similarly, it rarely spreads to the lymph nodes.

Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers are curable and tend to occur in people younger than 50. Together, these two types account for up to 90% of all thyroid cancers.

• Hurthle cell cancer (also known as Hurthle cell carcinoma) – This type starts from the follicular cells of the gland. Hurthle cell carcinomas usually spread to the lymph nodes more than other follicular thyroid cancers.
• Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) – Occurs due to a genetic syndrome, and accounts for only 3% of thyroid cancers. Similarly, MTC usually runs in families.
• Anaplastic thyroid cancer – The rarest form of thyroid cancer that accounts for only1% of all thyroid cancers. It’s a fast-growing cancer and difficult to treat successfully.

Early Signs and Symptoms

There are few to no signs of thyroid cancer in the early stages, but as it progresses, the following sign and symptoms occur:

• Neck and throat pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Lump in the neck
• Hoarseness of voice
• Prolonged cough and difficulty breathing

Causes And Risk Factors

Scientists are not clear about what causes thyroid cancer. However, several factors that may increase the likelihood of getting the disease include:

• Getting too much radiation at the neck area at a young age
• Family history and genetic inheritance (mutation)
• Diet low in Iodine
• Women between 40-50 years are at high risk compared to men
• Follicular thyroid cancer takes place more in white people than black people

Treatment Options

Treatment options depend on the thyroid cancer stage and the patient’s overall health condition. Fortunately, most types of thyroid cancers are treatable. It can be cured using the following treatment options:

• Surgery – The doctor removes all or part of the affected thyroid gland
• Radioactive Iodine – Uses large doses of a radioactive form of Iodine; this treatment is done after surgery
• Radiation therapy – High-energy radiation beams are given externally using a machine
• Chemotherapy – A drug treatment that kills the cancer cells
• Injecting alcohol into cancers – Also known as alcohol ablation; shrinks the tumor by injecting alcohol into small cancers

If you have any of the symptoms as mentioned earlier, consult your doctor immediately. Don’t wait till the symptoms get worsened. Remember, early identification and early treatment lead to a successful cure of thyroid cancer.