Thyroid cancer is a tumor that grows in the thyroid gland. The thyroid is located on the trachea and is responsible for secreting hormones that act in the growth process and metabolism of people, in addition to producing proteins and regulating the receptivity of other hormones in our body. Thyroid cancers generally tend to be benign, but they can recur. At FastlyHeal we explain the types, symptoms and risk factors of thyroid cancer .
Table of Contents
Types of thyroid cancer
There are five types of thyroid cancer:
- Papillary carcicoma: it is the most common, since eight out of ten people can suffer from this type of thyroid cancer. Although it grows slowly, it tends to spread through the lymph nodes, if they are treated in time, they rarely cause death.
- Follicular carcicoma : it is common, especially in countries where the intake of iodine in the diet is low. It does not spread to the lymph nodes, but it does spread to other organs of the body such as the lungs or bones. It has a higher incidence after 50 years and predisposes to suffer goiter.
- Anaplastic carcicoma : it occurs in people over 65 years of age and a tumor usually appears, usually painful, and rapidly growing. It has a high malignancy and is very difficult to treat, in addition to spreading rapidly through the neck and the rest of the body.
- Medullary carcicoma : it is caused by C cells, which are responsible for controlling calcium in the blood. It can spread through the nodes and other organs, before there is a thyroid nodule. His prognosis is not as favorable, as in the other cases.
For the diagnosis of this cancer, a study of the tissues is carried out, this will direct us to some type of cancer that we have mentioned above. An ultrasound may also be done to determine if you have any type of thyroid tumor.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer
The symptoms of thyroid cancer will depend on the type of cancer that is developing, but in general you will present a cough, swelling in the neck, an enlarged thyroid, changes in the voice and hoarseness, difficulty swallowing and growth of nodules.
Thyroid Cancer Risk Factors
Among the risk factors for developing thyroid cancer are: being a woman, having a family history of this disease, suffering from a goiter, having undergone radiation therapy in the cervical area or having been exposed to radiation due to a nuclear disaster.
Treatment for thyroid cancer will depend on the type of cancer diagnosed, but surgery is usually done to remove the thyroid gland , as well as any nodes that have spread in the neck. You can also do radiation therapy sessions or the ingestion of radioactive iodine, this is used to eliminate the remains of the thyroid after surgery. Thyroid hormone medications should be taken throughout life after the operation, as it provides the necessary supply of this gland that your body needs to function properly, in addition to preventing the cancer from reappearing.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Thyroid cancer: types, symptoms and risk factors , we recommend that you enter our Endocrine System category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.