While strides are being made in nearly all oncological fields, there is one type of cancer that is on the rise, yet we hear little about it.
Thyroid cancer, which originates in the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces hormones and regulates many body functions including heart rate, is slowly getting attention as more and more cases are being diagnosed. Though still rare in the U.S., cancers of the thyroid account for only one percent of all cancers in the country. Yet, there are about 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year and it is the fastest-growing cancer diagnosis among women.
Why? Doctors don’t know for sure, but widely say more cases are being found because of improved diagnostic tools.
How do you spot thyroid cancer?
Commonly, thyroid cancer is found while screening for other health issues. Thyroid cancer stems from mutating cells, which tend to multiply rapidly. As they do, the accumulating mutated cells bond, forming a tumor that is usually less than two centimeters in size.
Caught early enough, thyroid cancer can be cured with treatment.
Sneaky symptoms
Most patients don’t notice outright symptoms. Commonly, though, there are signs there is a tumor growing in the thyroid, say doctors. They include:
- Physical changes: A small lump that can be felt on the neck, especially if it’s new. Swollen lymph nodes are often present, as well.
- Changes in your voice: A tumor may cause your voice to become hoarse or crack more than usual.
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing: Pain that radiates from the neck up to your ears is another telltale.
Women should be wary
Around 75 percent of new diagnoses are in female patients. No one is sure why the incidence is so much higher in women than in men, but some researchers have suggested that female hormones have something to do with it. Though experts are still searching for a direct cause, genetic factors and exposure to radiation are also suspected.
What’s next: Diagnosis and treatment
Once thyroid cancer is suspected, your doctor will need to do a biopsy to definitively diagnose the disease. This is usually done by a needle biopsy, guided by ultrasound. A positive result leads to treatment, the type of which depends on the type of cancer found.
Blood work and other scans are typically used to determine the stage of the cancer.
When it comes to treatment, the most common option is surgical, including the removal of the thyroid. Your doctor may also decide to remove affected lymph nodes. The use of external radiation therapy, chemotherapy or radioactive iodine to kill the cancer cells is also an option, most often to ensure all the cancer cells are gone following surgery.
After treatment, which could take months, patients will most likely have to take hormones to make up for the loss or damage to the thyroid.
Treatment is incredibly successful. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 800,000 people living in the U.S. after having been treated for thyroid cancer.
