Terms of Use 

What is cancer of the thyroid?

Cancer of the thyroid is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is at the base of the throat. It has two lobes, one on the right side and one on the left. The thyroid gland makes important hormones that help the body function normally.

Cancer of the thyroid is more common in women than in men. Most patients are between 25 and 65 years old. People who have been exposed to large amounts of radiation, or who have had radiation treatment for medical problems in the head and neck have a higher chance of getting thyroid cancer. The cancer may not occur until 20 years or longer after the initial radiation treatment.

There are four main types of cancer of the thyroid (based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope): papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the type of thyroid cancer, whether it is just in the thyroid or has spread to other parts of the body (stage), and the patient's age and overall health. Some types of thyroid cancer grow much faster than others.

 Key Points Summary

• Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer.
• Thyroid cancer is a cancerous tumor or growth located within the thyroid gland
• Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence rates over the past several years. There are expected to be 11% more new cases in 2008 than in 2007 in the United States
• The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 37,340 new cases of thyroid cancer in the U.S. in 2008. Of these new cases, about 28,410 will occur in women and about 8,930 will occur in men. About 1,590 people (910 women and 680 men) will die of thyroid cancer in 2008.
• Many patients, especially in the early stages of thyroid cancer, do not experience symptoms. However, as the cancer develops, symptoms can include a lump or nodule in the front of the neck, hoarseness or difficulty peaking, swollen lymph nodes, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and pain in the throat or neck

There are several types of thyroid cancer:  papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic, and variants.

Papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)

 

Accounts for 5-10% of all thyroid cancers. Medullary cancer is easier to treat and control if found before it spreads to other parts of the body. There are two types of medullary thyroid cancer: sporadic and familial.

 

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Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

• Treatments for thyroid cancer include surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, external beam radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In most cases, patients undergo surgery to remove most of the thyroid gland, and are treated with thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

 

• For those with papillary and follicular thyroid cancer, the dose of thyroid hormone replacement is usually high enough to suppress thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) well below the range that is normal for someone not diagnosed with thyroid cancer, to help prevent the growth of cancer cells while providing essential thyroid hormone to the body.

 

• Factors associated with thyroid cancer include a family history of thyroid cancer, gender (women  have a higher incidence of thyroid cancer), age (the majority of cases occur in people over 40, although thyroid cancer affects all age groups from children through seniors), and prior exposure of the thyroid gland to radiation.

 

• While the prognosis for most thyroid cancer patients is very good, the rate of recurrence can be up to 30%, and recurrences can occur even decades after the initial diagnosis. Therefore, it is important  that patients get regular follow-up examinations to detect whether the cancer has re-emerged. Monitoring should continue throughout the patient’s lifetime.

 

• Periodic follow-up examinations can include a review of the medical history together with selected blood tests appropriate for the type of cancer and stage of treatment (TSH, thyroglobulin, CEA, and  calcitonin levels), physical examination, and imaging techniques (ultrasound, radioiodine whole body scan, chest X-ray, CT, MRI, PET, and other tests).

 

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Metatastic Thyroid Cancer

(spread to distant locations) 

 

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