Thyroid Cancer- A Dangerous Endocrine Malignancy

Posted by Shivani Jani on January 3rd, 2021

Thyroid cancer is a common form of endocrine cancer. It occurs when cells in the thyroid gland undergo abnormal proliferation. Women are three times more likely to get thyroid cancer than men, especially at their reproductive age. However, thyroid cancer is the most treatable form of cancer if diagnosed early. 

Types of Thyroid Cancer 

There are four types of cancer identified by the researchers, and these are:

• Papillary Thyroid Cancer: This is the most common form of thyroid cancer. It develops slowly and affects the nodes of the thyroid gland.

• Medullary Thyroid Cancer: This form of cancer occurs in about 4% of the total cases. Abnormal blood calcitonin levels can indicate medullary thyroid cancer. 

Patients can get their calcitonin levels checked by searching for ‘diagnostic center near me’ on Google. It will provide a list of the top diagnostic centers. 

• Follicular Thyroid Cancer: This form of cancer is more prevalent than the previous one. This type of cancer spreads through the lymph nodes and blood vessels. 

• Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: This is a severe form of thyroid cancer that is likely to spread across the whole body. It is hard to treat if not detected at a preliminary stage. 

Symptoms

The various signs of Thyroid cancer are:

• Prolonged pain in the throat or neck

• A lump or nodule that can be seen or felt through the skin

• Change in voice (increase in hoarseness)

• Prolonged or unexplained coughing

• Pain while swallowing

If you observe any troublesome symptoms, consult endocrinologists in Guwahati to get it checked at the earliest.

Causes

There is no clear evidence as to what exactly causes thyroid cancer. There are some risk factors involved. 

• Genetic Disorder: 20% of the medullary thyroid cancer cases occur due to the inheritance of an abnormal gene by the child from his/her parents. Multiple endocrine neoplasias, Adenomatous polyposis, and Cowden’s syndrome increase the Risk of Thyroid Cancer.

• Iodine Deficiency: A deficiency of iodine in the body can increase the risk of anaplastic and follicular thyroid cancer.

• Radiation Exposure: Radiation therapy in the head or neck can also increase the risk of thyroid cancer.

Diagnosis

Visit trusted thyroid doctors in Guwahati if you observe any worrisome symptoms. 

Doctors conduct a biopsy test, in which they take a portion of cells or tissues from the thyroid gland and examine it. Ultrasound scans are further run for examination. In more than 70% of the cases, the nodules are benign. However, prevention is always better than a cure.

If the test results are inconclusive, the thyroid lobe is surgically removed for further examination. Endocrinologists in Guwahati offer appropriate treatments once the results are precise. 

Treatment

In the case of thyroid cancer, the gland is generally removed. This is done because thyroid cancer does not respond significantly to chemotherapeutic agents.

Patients have to stay on hormone replacement therapy for their whole life. This is to make up for the loss of the endocrine gland. Patients are usually kept under surveillance and scheduled check-ups as the limits are different for everybody.