What is Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid cancer is a cancer that develops in the thyroid gland located at the base of your neck, right below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your metabolism.
What are the signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer?
Symptoms of thyroid cancer are difficult to detect early on, however as the cancer progresses some common symptoms include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Hoarseness
- Trouble swallowing
- Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck
- A lump in the front of your neck, just below the Adam’s apple
- Pain in the throat or neck
What are some common risk factors of thyroid cancer?
- Sex - women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop thyroid cancer
- Family history of thyroid disease
- Exposure to radiation
How is thyroid cancer treated?
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Radiation therapy
The four main types of thyroid cancer are:
- Papillary - most common type of thyroid cancer among Americans, and most common in children
- Follicular - most common in women over 50 years old
- Medullary - comprises 3%-4% of all thyroid cancer cases, usually consists of a mass in the neck or thyroid
- Anaplastic- rare/aggressive type of thyroid cancer; least common yet most deadly
|
