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Thyroid Cancer |
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Death due to thyroid cancer is uncommon, because of the fact
that thyroid cancer is usually an indolent disease, which tends to remain
confined to the thyroid gland for many years. Thyroid cancer is fairly
common, it accounts for about one percent of all cancers. This type of
cancer usually responds well to treatment and many patients can be cured.
Thyroid cancer is a cancer of the thyroid glands, a butterfly-shaped gland
located in the neck below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid makes and stores
hormones that help regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature,
and the rate at which food is converted into energy. The thyroid uses and
needs iodine to make several of its hormones. Thyroid hormones also help
children grow and develop.
There are four major types of thyroid cancer:
Papillary Tumors
These tumors develop in cells that produce thyroid hormones containing
iodine. These cancer cells grow very slowly forming many tiny,
mushroom-shaped patterns in the tumor. These tumors can be treated by
doctors successfully even when the cells have spread to the nearby lymph
nodes. This type of tumor accounts for about sixty percent of all thyroid
cancers.
Follicular Thyroid Tumors
These tumors also develop in cells that produce iodine-containing hormones,
and have a thin layer of tissue around them, called a capsule. Many
follicular tumors are curable but can be difficult to control if the tumor
invades blood vessels or grows through the capsule into the nearby
structures of the neck.
Medullary Tumors
These tumors affect thyroid cells that produce a hormone that does not
contain iodine. These tumors grow slowly but are harder to control than
papillary and follicular tumors. The cancer spreads to other parts of the
body.
Anaplastic Tumors
These tumors are the fastest growing thyroid tumors. The cancer cells, which
are extremely abnormal, spread rapidly to other parts of the body.
The most often symptom of this disease is a nodule in the thyroid region of
the neck, but only five percent of these nodules are malignant. Sometimes
the first sign is an enlarged lymph node. Other symptoms include hoarseness
or difficulty speaking in a normal voice, swollen lymph nodes especially in
the neck, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and pain in the throat or
neck. However, an infection, a benign goiter, or another problem also could
cause these symptoms. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon
as possible to be diagnosed and treated properly.
Surgery is the most common form of treatment for thyroid cancer that has not
spread to distant parts of the body. A part or the entire thyroid and any
other affected tissue, such as the lymph nodes is usually removed with this
procedure. This procedure however may not be recommended when a patient is
found to have thyroid cancer that has spread. Treatment usually includes
some form of systematic therapy, a treatment that can kill or slow the
growth of the cancer cells throughout the body, such as chemotherapy,
radioactive iodine therapy, and/or hormone therapy. |
| This article
is provided courtesy of Roxanne Courtmanch. Please visit
www.thehelpingcircle.com for more articles on cancer
as well as many other topics that may be of interest to you.
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