Thyroid Cancer Symptoms
Know The Thyroid Cancer Symptoms
Thyroid cancer symptoms often first make themselves known as lumps or nodules in area of the thyroid gland. While you may have a number of nodules in your thyroid gland (and elsewhere in your body as well) the vast majority are benign, i.e. non-cancerous. Fortunately most incidents of thyroid cancer are detected at an early stage, the cancerous tissue is easily treated or removed and recovery is complete. Still, it's to your advantage to know something about the disease, its symptoms, causes, and risks.
There are several types of thyroid cancer, the most common being papillary cancer which appears as a single mass in one of the thyroid's lobes. Although most common in women, anyone can develop papillary cancer. Papillary cancer is usually easily treated as it tends be confined to a small area even if it has spread to nearby tissue. Even if this type of cancer has spread radioactive iodine treatments are usually quite effective.
A second type of thyroid cancer is follicular cancer which tends to spread to the veins and arterial system and can be quite aggressive, eventually spreading to the lungs and skeletal system. Papillary and follicular cancers are by far the most common types encountered, accounting for around 90% of all cases. Medullary cancers is yet another type, forming in cells and therefore more difficult to detect. Medullary cancer may spread to the lymph nodes and elsewhere before any indication of it's presence is detected. There are several subtypes of medullary cancer.
Two other types are familial cancer, a cancer affecting the thyroid which is inherited, and anaplastic cancer which is quite aggressive but fortunately the least common of the thyroid cancers , accounting for less than 2% of all cases.
The causes of thyroid cancer for the most part remain generally unknown. What is known is that these cancers are not contagious and that one very probable cause is radiation. There are known risk factors and people having these risk factors may have a higher incidence of the disease, at least in the statistical sense, but it's not possible to determine in advance just who will encounter thyroid cancer problems. These risk factors are generally associated with age, gender, and race as well as diet (lack of iodine) and exposure to radiation.
Detection of thyroid cancer symptoms may come from physical exams, a biopsy, an ultrasound exam. or radiology based testing. Treatment may vary from hormone injections to invasive surgery. Internal radiation therapy (iodine radiation) or external radiation therapy are common courses of treatment with chemotherapy being yet another option. The type and stage of the cancer will generally dictate the treatment required.
It may be difficult if not impossible to live a lifestyle which will guarantee that thyroid cancer will never happen to you but one can certainly be aware of and watchful for the symptoms of the disease.
The Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Center are excellent resources for learning more about thyroid cancer symptoms in great detail in addition to valuable information on causes, cures, and risk factors.