Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of thyroid, a gland located at the base of the neck region. It produces hormones that regulate blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature as well as weight.
Thyroid cancer might not cause any symptoms at the beginning but as the disease grows it causes pain and swelling in the neck. There are several types of thyroid cancer, some are aggressive and some are not but majority cases of thyroid cancer can be cured with treatment.
Thyroid cancer typically doesn’t cause early signs and symptoms but at the later stage it may cause:
- A lump in the neck or throat
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- Difficulty swallowing
- Change in the voice
- Pain in the neck and throat
The cause of thyroid cancer is not clear yet, but in majority cases it is expected that it occurs when the thyroid undergoes mutation (genetic changes in the DNA). The mutations cause the thyroid cells to grow and multiply in an abnormal way, destroying the healthy cells. Due to mutation, the abnormal cells also lose the ability to die thus forming a tumour. With time, the abnormal cells also start invading the nearby tissues and then start spreading to the distant parts of the body.
- Women are at higher risk. Almost 3 out of 4 thyroid cancer cases occur in women.
- Exposure to certain radiations may increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
- Some thyroid cases are also linked to genetic history. If one has a family history of genetic cancer then chances of them getting thyroid cancer is very high.
The type of thyroid cancer is determined on the basis of the type of cells found in the formed tumor. The medical professional will take a sample and then examine it under the microscope to determine the thyroid cancer type and treatment.
Some of the thyroid cancer types are:
Papillary Thyroid Cancer: It is the most common form of thyroid cancer which arises from follicular cells that produce and store thyroid hormones. It can occur at any age but most often it affects the age group of 30-50.
Follicular Thyroid Cancer: It also arises from the follicular cells of the thyroid region and usually affects people older than age 50.
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: This type also begins in the follicular cells but in this type the growth of abnormal/cancerous cells is very rapid thus making it difficult to treat. It occurs in adults aged 60 or older.
Medullary Thyroid Cancer: This type begins in thyroid cells called C cells which produce calcitonin (hormone). Elevated levels of the calcitonin hormone in the blood can indicate medullary thyroid cancer. Genetic history may increase the risk of this type.
Thyroid Lymphoma: It begins in the cells of the immune system of thyroid.
Thyroid Sarcoma: It occurs in the connective tissue cells of thyroid causing several complications.
Apollo Cancer Centre, Ahmedabad is one of the best cancer hospitals in India. At Apollo Cancer Centre, we have a specialised team of consultants for the treatment of thyroid cancers. If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms mentioned above, consult with our thyroid cancer specialist today.