Your thyroid might be small, but it has a major influence on the way your body functions. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland, present at the base of your neck, right under your Adam’s apple. It releases vital hormones that control your metabolism, heart rate, temperature, weight, digestion, and even mood.
However, if there is abnormal growth of cells in this gland, it may result in thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is a less common cancer than breast or lung cancer. But in the U. S., it has seen that thyroid cancer is among the most rapidly increasing cancers. Every year, tens of thousands of new cases are detected. It is much more common in women than in men, and is usually diagnosed in women aged between 30 and 60 years old.
What is Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when the cells in your thyroid gland start to grow uncontrollably. These abnormal cells can form a tumor or nodule, which may stay in one place or spread to nearby lymph nodes and, in rare cases, to distant organs.
Thyroid cancer may not cause you any symptoms at the beginning. However, when the cancer gets bigger, you may experience symptoms such as swelling in your neck, a change in your voice, and difficulty swallowing.
About 40, 000+ people in the United States are diagnosed with thyroid cancer yearly. Some thyroid cancers can be managed or treated effectively. However, your experience depends on many factors, for example, the type of thyroid cancer and its severity.
The research indicates that there are mainly two reasons behind the increased incidence of thyroid cancer. One is overdiagnosis, such as advanced imaging, like ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs detects very small, slow-growing tumors that may never cause harm.
The other reasons could be environmental exposures, radiation, obesity, and hormonal factors that may be contributing.
Types of Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is mainly divided into four types ans each is different in terms of its behavior.
1. Papillary Thyroid Cancer (Most Common)
Nearly 80% of all thyroid cancers are papillary thyroid cancer. It is also known as papillary cancer of the thyroid.
Generally, this type of cancer grows gradually and spreads to the lymph nodes in the neck. The long-term survival rate of this cancer is extremely good, especially among young patients.
Many patients live normal lifespans even with nodal involvement. This challenges the traditional cancer model where spread automatically means poor prognosis.
Studies have revealed that small thyroid tumors that are less than 1 cm are safe and do not need to be immediately removed. This is referred to as active surveillance. It has been demonstrated that the rate of progression is very low, and there are fewer complications when surgery is avoided.
This is one of the few cancers where watching carefully may be safer than going for immediate treatment.
2. Follicular Thyroid Cancer
It is the second most prevalent thyroid cancer, with approximations of 10-15 percent. It affects individuals older than 50 and is not as widespread as papillary cancer.
While papillary thyroid cancer rarely spreads beyond the thyroid, follicular thyroid cancer can spread to other parts of the body. The most common sites of metastases are the lungs, bones, liver, and brain.
FTC occurs more frequently in areas with insufficient iodine in the diet. Before the introduction of iodized salt, follicular thyroid cancer was more prevalent in Europe and Asia.
3. Medullary thyroid cancer
Medullary thyroid cancer is different from papillary and follicular types. It develops from thyroid cells called C cells, which are responsible for secreting the hormone calcitonin. And some medullary thyroid cancers are genetically inherited by a parent to a child through a gene known as the RET.
This difference changes everything, from diagnosis to treatment.
One very remarkable feature of MTC is that children with RET mutations can have their thyroid removed, even before cancer develops. This is a life-saving strategy in families with MEN2 mutations.
Treatment for medullary thyroid cancer consists of total thyroidectomy, removal of lymph nodes if necessary, and targeted systemic therapy in case of advanced disease.
4. Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC)
This form of thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive and rarest types of thyroid cancer. It is an aggressive and fast-growing cancer that needs to be managed aggressively.
It can affect people over 60 years of age. Symptoms of ATC in a patient may include rapid neck swelling, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and breathing difficulties.
Since the thyroid gland is located close to the trachea and esophagus, airway obstruction can develop very fast, and thus, in some cases, it becomes a medical emergency.
ATC is treatable, but it is not easily curable. The treatment is mainly involved at slowing the growth of the tumor, shrinking it when possible, and relieving symptoms to improve the quality of life.
Thanks to new targeted therapies and combined treatment methods, some patients with ATC are living longer, especially when they are treated in specialized cancer centers.
Thyroid Cancer Symptoms
In most cases, thyroid cancer doesn’t show any symptoms at the very beginning. Your provider might spot it during an unrelated examination.
A painless lump in your neck is the first sign of thyroid cancer. Thyroid nodules/lumps are mostly benign, but any new lump in the neck needs to be checked.
There are also some other symptoms, such as:
- Hoarseness or voice changes
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Neck and throat pain
- Swollen lymph nodes
- A feeling of pressure in your throat
- Persistent cough that is not caused by a cold
Who is at Risk of Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer can happen to anybody. However, women are roughly 3 times more likely than men to get thyroid cancer. There are certain factors that can raise your risk, such as:
- Age (usually between 30-60)
- Family history of thyroid cancer
- Genetic syndromes like RET mutations
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2A/B), Familial adenomatous polyposis
- Exposure to radiation, particularly if it happens during childhood
- Genetic conditions associated with medullary thyroid cancer
- History of thyroid nodules
- Long-term thyroid inflammation (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis)
- Iodine Deficiency
- Other conditions, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome
Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer.
The diagnosis of thyroid cancer is usually performed in several steps:
- Physical Examination: Your provider will examine your neck to check for nodules or swollen lymph nodes.
- Imaging tests: Imaging tests play an important role in pinpointing the thyroid malignancy as well as metastasis. Ultrasounds, radioactive iodine scans, CT scans, and PET scans are some of the imaging methods.
- Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) Biopsy: During this biopsy, a small sample of cells is taken from your thyroid for examination under a microscope.
- Blood Tests: Blood tests cannot properly diagnose most thyroid cancers, but they can help determine whether your thyroid is functioning normally, i. e., if your thyroid is producing hormones properly.
At Kairos Integrative Care in Texas, we look beyond basic labs. We routinely check your complete thyroid panels, inflammatory markers, nutrient deficiencies (iodine, selenium, vitamin D), and hormone balance. This way, we help figure out what is going on inside your body.
Treatment Options for Thyroid Cancer
Your provider will decide the treatment based on the type and stage of your cancer. Typically, it involves:
- Surgery: The most common treatment is thyroidectomy hat involves partial or complete removal of the thyroid
- Radioactive Iodine Therapy: This therapy is used after surgery in certain types of thyroid cancer to destroy any remaining cancerous cells.
- Thyroid Hormone Replacement: Since the gland is removed, the patient depends entirely on taking the hormone medication like levothyroxine for the rest of his life.
- Chemotherapy: This treatment kills the cancer cells that have spread throughout your body. Your doctor rarely uses chemotherapy for thyroid cancer. It may be considered for aggressive or metastatic disease.
- Targeted Therapy for advanced cases: Targeted therapies are drugs that work on specific changes or mutations in the cancer cells of the thyroid. They don’t affect all the cells like chemotherapy does. Most patients heal thoroughly with only surgery and hormone replacement therapy.
FAQs
Is thyroid cancer curable?
In most cases, especially if the cancer is a papillary cancer, it can be cured. Thyroid cancer is extremely treatable if the cancer is detected at an early stage.
Can thyroid cancer come back?
There is a chance for the cancer to return, but it is quite rare if adequate treatment and follow-up are done.
Will my weight increase if my thyroid is removed?
Weight variations can happen when your hormone levels have not been stabilized. If you regularly monitor hormone levels, it greatly minimizes this risk.
Do my relatives have to go through tests?
If you are diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer or there is a very strong family history, you may be advised to have genetic counseling.
Conclusion
Thyroid cancer is a surprising diagnosis, but the good news is that this cancer is very responsive to treatment, and more than 90% of patients with papillary cancer survive long term, especially when the cancer is identified early and managed adequately.
In case you are showing signs of thyroid carcinoma or thyroid tumor, or have any doubts about a nodule or any family history, please do not ignore them.
At Kairos Integrative Care, Lola, one of our board-certified integrative nurse practitioners, walks beside you, from diagnosis through recovery and beyond. We coordinate testing and explain findings to optimize your thyroid replacement therapy.
If you have questions or concerns about thyroid, our team of experts is here to guide you towards the best.
