Throat Condition

Thyroid Cancer

What is thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in your thyroid gland. These cells often form small tumors called nodules. But most thyroid nodules aren’t cancer and don’t cause harm.

There are several different types of thyroid cancer. The treatment for thyroid cancer is often successful with the right treatment plan.

What are the symptoms?

Many people don’t have any symptoms when they are diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This cancer is often found when an imaging test is done for another reason. The most common symptom is a lump or swelling in your neck. Other symptoms may include pain or trouble swallowing. Or your voice may be hoarse.

What causes it?

Experts don’t know what causes thyroid cancer. Like other cancers, changes in the DNA of your cells seem to play a role. 

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule found inside cells. DNA is shaped like a spiral ladder. It carries the genetic instructions that help a cell develop and function. This genetic information is passed from parents to children. DNA helps determine what features a person inherits from their parents, including blood type, hair color, eye color, and other characteristics.

Chromosomes are parts of body cells that carry the DNA. The DNA of each chromosome is divided up into genes. Each person’s DNA contains thousands of genes.

Changes (mutations) can occur in the DNA of genes. These changes may affect a person’s risk for developing a disease. It also affects how people respond to medicines.

These DNA changes may include changes that are inherited as well as those that happen as you get older.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that lies in front of the windpipe (trachea), just below the voice box (larynx). The thyroid gland uses iodine from food to make two thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid gland stores these hormones and releases them as they are needed.

How is it diagnosed?

If you have a lump in your neck that could be thyroid cancer, you’ll likely have a fine-needle biopsy. This test may be all that is needed to diagnose thyroid cancer. In some cases, a molecular test or surgery will also be done to find out if a lump (nodule) is thyroid cancer.

How is thyroid cancer treated?

Treatment for thyroid cancer often includes surgery, radioactive iodine, and thyroid hormone therapy.

  • Radioactive iodine therapy is used to destroy thyroid cells.
  • Radioactive iodine therapy can be used for thyroid cancer to kill cancer cells that remain after surgery has been done to remove the thyroid gland. It may also be used to treat an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism).
  • Radioactive iodine is usually given as a liquid or capsule that is swallowed.

It may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy. Very low-risk thyroid cancer may not need treatment right away. With regular checkups and tests, your doctor can closely watch the cancer for any signs of growth (active surveillance).

  • Targeted therapy uses medicines to attack specific targets or processes of cancer cells. These medicines help stop cancer cells from growing or spreading. Unlike chemotherapy, they target cancer cells and may cause less harm to normal cells.
  • Targeted therapy is often given as a pill or put into a vein. It may be used alone. But it’s often combined with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.