Chances are you may know someone who has had breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer or even lung cancer. Perhaps you yourself have had nonmelanoma skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer. But you may not be as familiar with thyroid cancer, which claims the lives of more than 1,600 people each year.
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located under the Adam’s apple in the front part of the neck. It is responsible for producing hormones that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight. Approximately 37,200 Americans are diagnosed with thyroid cancer annually. It is one of the least deadly cancers and tends to affect younger people between the ages of 20 to 55 and women more often than older people and men. The causes of thyroid cancer are not clear, and most cases of the disease cannot be prevented.
Thyroid cancer usually does not cause any symptoms in the early stages. As it progresses, however, the disease can cause a lump on the neck, voice changes such as hoarseness, problems swallowing or breathing, constant neck or throat pain, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. There are several forms of thyroid cancer, including:
Papillary, which usually occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 50
Follicular, which typically is diagnosed in people over 50
Medullary, which tends to grow slowly but can spread to other parts of the body
Anaplastic, which is a very rare form of the disease that is aggressive and difficult to treat
Diagnosing thyroid cancer can involve a physical exam to check for thyroid lumps or lymph node swelling, blood tests to evaluate the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the body, a needle biopsy to remove thyroid cells for evaluation, or imaging tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scan to check for enlarged lymph nodes. If the disease is detected, treatment will depend on the cancer type, how far it has spread, and the patient’s age and overall health.
The main form of treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. This option may involve removing the lobe where the cancer is located (lobectomy), or removing all (total thyroidectomy), almost all (near-total thyroidectomy) or most (subtotal thyroidectomy) of the thyroid gland. Nearby lymph nodes also would be removed if cancer has spread outside the thyroid gland. Patients who have had a total or near-total thyroidectomy will need to take thyroid hormone replacement pills for life. Following surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, external beam radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be used to destroy any remaining thyroid tissue and treat cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body.
As with any cancer, it is important to detect thyroid cancer as early as possible. Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms. For more information about thyroid cancer, visit the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org.
To find a physician who specializes in the treatment of cancer, visit the Los Alamitos Medical Center website or call us at 800-548-5559. The new $10 million TotalCare Cancer Center at Los Alamitos Medical Center has both internal and external cancer treatment services. Talk to your physician about which treatment options are best for you.