Thyroid Cancer

What is thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a small gland in the lower front of your neck. It takes iodine from the food you eat to make hormones. The hormones control the process of turning the food you eat into energy.

There are at least 4 different types of cancer. Some types are very common. Other types are not very common but are more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

What is the cause?

The cause of most thyroid cancers is not known. However, as many as 1 in 10 cases of thyroid cancer are caused by radiation exposure. Examples of 2 ways that radiation exposure could increase your risk of this cancer are:

• X-ray treatments to the head and neck when you were a child
• radioactive fallout from nuclear atomic weapons testing or nuclear power plant accidents.

You may have an increased risk of thyroid cancer if someone in your family has had certain types of thyroid cancer or certain other inherited problems.

What are the symptoms?

Early thyroid cancer does not cause symptoms. As the cancer grows, the first symptom is a lump (nodule) in the front of the neck.

Late symptoms of thyroid cancer are:

• swollen lymph nodes
• hoarseness or trouble speaking in a normal voice
• trouble swallowing or breathing
• pain in the throat or neck

These symptoms do not always mean thyroid cancer. Most growths or lumps in the thyroid gland are not cancer. Other problems, such as infection, can cause the same symptoms. If you have symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider as soon as possible to diagnose the problem.

How is it diagnosed?

Your provider will ask about your symptoms and your personal and family medical history. Your provider will examine you. You may also have one or more of the following tests:

• blood tests
• ultrasound scans of the thyroid gland so your provider check for nodules, see how big they are, and determine if they are solid or filled with fluid
• radioactive iodide scan, which uses a very small amount of radioactive material to make thyroid nodules show up on a picture
• biopsy, which is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells

A biopsy is the only sure way to know whether a thyroid lump is cancer. Your provider may be able to remove tissue in the office with a needle. Or you may need to have your lump completely removed with surgery in the operating room. The tissue removed with either of these procedures is then examined in the lab for cancer cells.

How is it treated?

The treatment depends on the type of thyroid cancer, whether it is in the thyroid gland only or has spread to other parts of the body, and your age and overall health. One or more of the treatments may be used.

• Surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland is the most common treatment. You will usually need to take thyroid hormone pills after the surgery. The medicine will substitute for the hormones that were made by the thyroid gland before it was removed. The medicine will also keep any remaining thyroid tissue from making thyroid hormone and keep any remaining thyroid cancer cells from growing.
• Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation (such as high-energy X-rays) to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
  • For the common types of thyroid cancer, usually radioactive iodine is given by mouth. Because the thyroid gland takes up iodine, the radioactive iodine collects in thyroid tissue and kills the cancer cells and any thyroid tissue remaining after surgery.
  • Sometimes a radiation machine outside the body may be used to send X-rays to the neck to treat certain types of cancer.
• Thyroid hormones may be used to help keep thyroid cancer cells from growing. Thyroid hormones are usually given as pills.
• Chemotherapy (anticancer medicine) can slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. The medicine may be taken as a pill, or it may be given to you through a needle in a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy drugs go into the bloodstream and travel through the body. This allows the drugs to kill cancer cells outside the thyroid gland.

How can I take care of myself?

• Follow the full course of treatment prescribed by your healthcare provider.
• Keep all appointments with your provider. You will need regular checkups to check your thyroid hormone levels and to make adjustments to your thyroid medicine.
• Ask your provider any questions you have about the disease, treatments, side effects of the treatments, support groups, and anything else that concerns you.
• Let your provider know if you have any new symptoms so they can be checked as soon as possible.
• Eat a healthy diet, especially fruits and vegetables because they can help fight cancer.
• Recognize that having the cancer is an added stress in your life. Take more time for your important relationships and for rest.
• Find a counselor to help you deal with difficult issues.
• Spend time with people and activities you enjoy.
• For more information, contact:
  • American Cancer Society
    Phone: 800-ACS-2345 (800-227-2345)
    Web site: http://www.cancer.org
  • AMC Cancer Research Center and Foundation
    Phone: 800-525-3777
    Web site: http://www.amc.org
  • Cancer Information Service
    800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237)
    http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/cis

How can I help prevent thyroid cancer?

Healthcare providers don’t know how to prevent most types of thyroid cancer because the causes are not well understood. Some types that are inherited may be prevented by frequent lab tests or surgery to remove the thyroid gland before cancer develops.