Staging thyroid cancerOnce cancer of the thyroid is found (diagnosed), more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. A doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan treatment. The following stages are used for papillary cancers of the thyroid:
The information contained in the following section was obtained from the National Cancer Institute The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system is the most common system for staging thyroid cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. "T" stands for tumor, "N" stands for spread to lymph, "M" is for metastasis (spread to distant locations).
The guidelines cover diagnosis, surgery, staging, radioiodine ablation, post-therapy scans, TSH suppression, thyroglobulin testing, ultrasound, RAI scans, other imaging techniques, metastatic disease, and many other topics. The thyroid cancer specialist physicians who developed the guidelines included many ThyCa medical advisors and conference and workshop speakers.
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. A doctor should be seen if there is a lump or swelling in the front of the neck or in other parts of the neck. If there are symptoms, a doctor will feel the patient's thyroid and check for lumps in the neck. The doctor may order blood tests and special scans to see whether a lump in the thyroid is making too many hormones.
Depending on test results and individual risk factors. The doctor may want to take a small amount of tissue from the thyroid. This is called a biopsy. To do this, a small needle is inserted into the thyroid at the base of the throat and some tissue is drawn out. The tissue is then looked at under a microscope to see whether it contains cancer.
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. The genes in our cells carry the hereditary information from our parents. An abnormal gene has been found in patients with some forms of thyroid cancer. If medullary thyroid cancer is found, the patient may have been born with a certain abnormal gene which may have led to the cancer. Family members may have also inherited this abnormal gene. Tests have been developed to determine who has the genetic defect long before any cancer appears.
It is important that the patient and his or her family members (children, grandchildren, parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews) see a doctor about tests that will show if the abnormal gene is present. These tests are confidential and can help the doctor help patients. Family members, including young children, who don't have cancer, but do have this abnormal gene, may reduce the chance of developing medullary thyroid cancer by having surgery to safely remove the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy).
Staging thyroid cancerOnce cancer of the thyroid is found (diagnosed), more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. A doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan treatment. The following stages are used for papillary cancers of the thyroid:
Stage I papillary Cancer is only in the thyroid and may be found in one or both lobes.Stage II papillary In patients younger than 45 years of age: Cancer has spread beyond the thyroid. In patients older than 45 years of age: Cancer is only in the thyroid and larger than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch).Stage III papillary Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread outside the thyroid (but not outside of the neck) or has spread to the lymph nodes.Stage IV papillaryCancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and bones. The following stages are used for follicular cancers of the thyroid:Stage I follicular Cancer is only in the thyroid and may be found in one or both lobes.Stage II follicular In patients younger than 45 years of age: Cancer has spread beyond the thyroid. In patients older than 45 years of age: Cancer is only in the thyroid and larger than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch).Stage III follicular Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread outside the thyroid (but not outside of the neck) or to the lymph nodes.Stage IV follicular Cancer is found in patients older than 45 years of age and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and bones.Stage I medullary
Cancer is less than 1 centimeter (about 1/2 inch) in size.Stage II medullary
Cancer is between 1 and 4 centimeters (about 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches) in size.
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Treatment By Type & Stage |
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