Thyroid cancer is identified as a growth of cells that start in the thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck. The thyroid plays an important role in controlling metabolism, supporting growth and development and regulating body temperature.
Thyroid cancer is not the same as thyroid disease – which includes hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism – so signs and symptoms of these conditions will vary.
What causes thyroid cancer?
There are four major types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, anaplastic and medullary. Papillary – which is the most common and least aggressive type of thyroid cancer, typically affecting people aged 30 to 50 – and follicular – which usually affects people older than 50 – are the two main types of thyroid cancer. Anaplastic and medullary are considered rare forms of thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer can develop based on multiple risk factors, so the cause can vary. Risk factors, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
- Radiation exposure: Studies have found radiation therapy treatments to the head and neck can increase a person’s risk for thyroid cancer.
- Sex: Thyroid cancer occurs more often in women than in men.
- Family history/genetics: Certain inherited conditions can increase thyroid cancer risk, including:
- familial medullary thyroid cancer
- multiple endocrine neoplasia
- Cowden syndrome
- familial adenomatous polyposis
Per the Mayo Clinic, types of thyroid cancer that sometimes run in families include medullary thyroid cancer and papillary thyroid cancer.
Common signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer
Individuals with thyroid cancer may not show obvious symptoms during the earliest stages of the disease. But certain warning signs can develop as the cancer grows, including:
- A lump (nodule) that can be felt through the skin on the neck. Firm nodules that don’t go away on their own may be cause for concern. Soft, short-lasting nodules are usually due to benign causes – such as inflammation, thyroid cysts or hormonal chances – and do not typically indicate cancer.
- Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
- Hoarseness or other voice changes
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain in your neck and throat
- Persistent cough
The importance of swift diagnosis for thyroid cancer
Many of the above symptoms are also associated with other diseases and conditions, many of which are usually benign. This is why thyroid cancer can be difficult to recognize. It’s also why preventive exams with your primary care provider (PCPs) are so crucial, as PCPs check for lumps or swelling in the neck during annual wellness visits, a frontline sign that something may be wrong.
Beyond an initial physical exam, your PCP or another health care professional might attempt to recommend imaging exams or a biopsy to diagnose thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer has the ability to spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body; cancer cells may spread soon after a diagnosis or during treatment. However, most thyroid cancers do not spread.
Treatment methods for thyroid cancer
Surgery to remove the thyroid cancer is the most common form of cancer treatment. This is usually accomplished through:
- Lobectomy: Removing the side of the thyroid containing the tumor
- Total thyroidectomy: Removing the entire thyroid
- Lymph node dissection: Removing lymph nodes in the middle of the neck, beside the thyroid
Typically, there is no need for further treatment after cancer removal for thyroid cancers with low risk of returning, according to the American Cancer Society. Those with a higher risk of coming back might require radioactive iodine treatment, which aims to destroy any remaining thyroid tissue and treat any remaining cancer in the body.
Reach out to your PCP or seek immediate medical attention if you experience a rapidly enlarging neck mass (a lump that grows significantly over a span of days or weeks) or an increased difficulty attempting to breathe or swallow. Otherwise, stay vigilant in scheduling and attending annual wellness exams to catch potential cancers – like thyroid cancer – in their earliest stages when they are easiest to treat.
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