Thyroid Cancer
What is thyroid cancer?
- Thyroid cancer is a disease where abnormal cells grow in the thyroid gland.
- Most thyroid cancers grow slowly and can be successfully treated.
- There are several types of thyroid cancer.
- The most common type is called Papillary Thyroid Cancer, which accounts for about 84% of all cases.
- Other types include: Follicular Thyroid Cancer (about 4%), Hurthle Cell or Oncocytic Thyroid Cancer (about 2%), Medullary thyroid cancer (about 4%), Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (about 1–3%), and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (about 1%).
- Papillary, follicular, and oncocytic thyroid cancers are grouped together as “well-differentiated thyroid cancer” because they tend to grow slowly and respond well to treatment.
What are the causes of thyroid cancer?
- Many people with thyroid cancer have no identifiable risk factors at all.
- Exposure to radiation is the only well-established environmental cause of thyroid cancer.
- This includes radiation to the head and neck during childhood, total body radiation for bone marrow transplantation, or exposure to radioactive fallout during childhood or adolescence.
- Some people have a higher risk due to family history or inherited conditions.
- If you have a family history of thyroid cancer— your doctor may recommend closer monitoring.
What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?
Most people with thyroid cancer have no symptoms, especially in the early stages.
When symptoms do occur, the most common is a lump or nodule in the neck. Other possible symptoms include:
- Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
- Hoarseness or voice changes
- Difficulty swallowing
- Neck pain
How is thyroid cancer diagnosed?
About half of thyroid cancers are discovered during routine physical examinations or found incidentally on imaging tests done for other reasons. Thyroid nodules, which often are benign, are best evaluated by Thyroid Ultrasound.
- Ultrasound determines the size and characteristics of the nodule, and determines if a biopsy is needed.
- Generally, nodules smaller than 1 cm do not need biopsy unless there are concerning features on ultrasound or abnormal lymph nodes.
- If a nodule meets criteria for a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. The results will help determine if cancer is present.
How do we treat thyroid cancer?
Treatment depends on the type and stage of thyroid cancer.
Surgery is the main treatment for most thyroid cancers and is curative in most cases.
- Surgery typically involves removing all or part of the thyroid gland.
- The extent of surgery depends on factors such as tumor size, lymph node involvement, and other features of the cancer.
- After surgery, some patients may receive radioactive iodine, which is a treatment that helps destroy any remaining thyroid cancer cells. This treatment is particularly helpful for patients at higher risk of cancer recurrence.
- After surgery, many patients require thyroid hormone replacement to correct hormone deficiency and to help suppress the growth of any remaining thyroid cancer cells. The dose is carefully adjusted based on each patient’s individual risk of cancer recurrence.
