Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine cancer. Thyroid cancer occurs when there is an uncontrolled growth of cancer cells that form a malignant tumor in the thyroid. The thyroid is an endocrine organ or gland located in the anterior neck area. The thyroid produces a variety of hormones, including triiodothyronine and thyroxine, which regulate growth and energy production and stimulate body heat production, among other functions.
Normally, cells in the thyroid that are old or damaged will stop dividing and die before they can become cancerous. These cells are usually replaced by healthy young cells. Thyroid cancer occurs when old or damaged cells to continue to divide and multiply uncontrollably. Untreated and/or advanced thyroid cancer can grow and spread (metastasize) to other organs of the body such as the liver, lungs and brain, and eventually become terminal.
It is not known exactly why thyroid cancer occurs, but some cases of thyroid cancer may be linked to a family history of thyroid cancer and exposure of the thyroid gland to radiation. Other risk factors for developing thyroid cancer include being female and being over 40 years of age. However, thyroid cancer does occur in both sexes and all groups, including children.
Thyroid cancer is most curable if caught in the earliest stage of the disease. However, there are generally no symptoms in early stages of thyroid cancer. For more information about symptoms, refer to symptoms of thyroid cancer.
Diagnosing thyroid cancer and its stage of advancement begins with taking a thorough personal and family medical history, including symptoms and risk factors for thyroid cancer. Diagnosis also includes completing a physical examination. During the physical exam the physician or nurse practitioner will assess and feel (palpate) the throat for the presence of a lump or nodule on the thyroid. This could indicate thyroid cancer as well as a number of other conditions.
Definitive diagnostic testing requires a biopsy of the thyroid tumor. A biopsy involves taking a small sample of thyroid tissue to examine under a microscope for the presence of cancer cells. Thyroid cells are removed from the suspicious lump or nodule using a very small needle, called a needle aspiration. This is generally done as an outpatient procedure.
Other tests, especially imaging tests, may be done to help determine a diagnosis and to evaluate how far thyroid cancer has spread. Imaging tests can include ultrasound, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine scan, and X-ray.
A diagnosis of thyroid cancer can be missed or delayed because there are generally no symptoms in early stages of the disease. Additionally, some symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, such as hypothyroidism. For more information about misdiagnosis and diseases and disorders that can mimic thyroid cancer, refer to misdiagnosis of thyroid cancer.
Most types of thyroid cancer are highly treatable, even curable. However thyroid cancer has a tendency to recur in many cases.
Treatment of thyroid cancer varies, depending on the stage of advancement of the disease and other factors. For more information on treatment, refer to treatment of thyroid cancer. ...more »
Thyroid cancer: Cancer of the thyroid gland. Types of thyroid cancer include papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer and medullary thyroid cancer. The thyroid is a hormone producing gland found in the neck. Over 20,000 new cases of this cancer are diagnosed each year in the US. Thyroid cancer is more common in females than males. ...more »
Symptoms of thyroid cancer can vary among individuals. However, there are generally no symptoms in the early stage of thyroid cancer. When symptoms do appear, they can include an enlarged thyroid or the develoment of a lump of nodule in the thyroid, located in the front of the neck in the throat area. Other symptoms may include an ongoing cough, hoarse voice, ...more symptoms »
Most types of thyroid cancer are highly treatable and even curable. However, thyroid cancer has a high rate or recurring, which can happen many years after treatment. Thyroid cancer is most treatable and curable if caught in the earliest stage of the disease.
Treatment is individualized to the type and stage of advancement of the disease, a person's age, medical ...more treatments »
A diagnosis of thyroid cancer can be delayed or missed because there are often no symptoms, especially in the early stage of the disease. In addition, some symptoms of thyroid cancer can be similar to symptoms of other diseases, conditions and disorders. These include hypothyroidism, upper respiratory infection, cold, laryngitis, sore throat, goiter, thyroiditis, and neck ...more misdiagnosis »
See full list of 13 symptoms of Thyroid cancer
See full list of 12 treatments for Thyroid cancer
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Alternative treatments or home remedies that have been listed in various sources as possibly beneficial for Thyroid cancer may include:
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Test for Thyroid cancer in your own home
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Prognosis for Thyroid cancer: Most thyroid cancers grow very slowly and can be effectively treated. (Source: excerpt from Thyroid Disease: NWHIC)
More about prognosis of Thyroid cancer
Visit our research pages for current research about Thyroid cancer treatments.
The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Thyroid cancer include:
See full list of 39 Clinical Trials for Thyroid cancer
Prevention information for Thyroid cancer has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Thyroid cancer.
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