Treatment depends on the type of cancer and its stage. Four types of treatment are used: surgical removal, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
You will need treatment for cancer.
The American Thyroid Association says thyroglobulin (Tg) is a protein produced by normal thyroid cells and also thyroid cancer cells. This test is most often used for patients who have had surgery for thyroid cancer because it helps monitor them after treatment.
Thyroglobulin levels can indicate the presence of thyroid cancer, monitoring of thyroid cancer treatment effectiveness, or the presence of autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. High levels can indicate thyroid cancer recurrence, while low levels can occur after thyroid surgery when the thyroid gland has been removed.
T3 (Triiodothyronine) tests are useful in diagnosing hyperthyroidism and the severity of it. This is because patients who are hyperthyroid have an elevated T3 level. The American Thyroid Association says thyroglobulin (Tg) is a protein produced by normal thyroid cells and also thyroid cancer cells. This test is most often used for patients who have had surgery for thyroid cancer because it helps monitor them after treatment.
Radioactive iodine is a treatment option used for those with hyperthyroidism and the thyroid autoimmune condition Graves' disease. Radioactive iodine treatment can also be used for those dealing with thyroid cancer. It is given orally, usually in a capsule form, and absorbed in the bloodstream. It then enters the thyroid gland and gradually destroys the thyroid cells, which will cause the thyroid to become hypothyroid.Related Article: Radioactive Iodine Treatment and Hyperthyroidism
Anaplastic thyroid cancer usually arises from a site of preexisting papillary thyroid cancer or follicular thyroid cancer. The transformed cells that grow to form this type of cancer divide rapidly to form disorganized masses. Anaplastic thyroid cancer tends to grow very rapidly, replacing the normal tissue of the thyroid gland and spreading to invade and metastasize to other structures in the neck. It does not respond well to treatment. Surgery and external beam radiation therapy may be used to treat cases where aggressive growth of cancer has significantly impaired swallowing or breathing. On the whole, anaplastic thyroid cancer has a very poor prognosis.
The thyroid is a butterfly shaped organ positioned in the front of the neck below the voice box. The thyroid gland produces important hormones that work toward the normal metabolism of the body. The follicular cells of the thyroid affect an individual's heart rate, energy level, and body temperature. C cells in the thyroid regulate the amount of calcium in the body. Thyroid cancer originates in the thyroid gland. Four types of thyroid cancer exist, which include papillary, medullary, follicular, and anaplastic.Types of Thyroid CancerThyroid cancer can begin in the follicular or C cells, depending on the type of thyroid cancer an individual develops. Majority of thyroid cancer patients are diagnosed with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. Most individuals are successfully treated because most types of thyroid cancer are slow to grow and spread to other organs. Patients have the best chance of survival when the cancer stays in the thyroid. Medullary and anaplastic account for a very small percentage of thyroid cancer cases. Anaplastic is the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer.SymptomsEarly stages of thyroid cancer do not produce symptoms, but symptoms manifest as the cancer begins to grow. Common symptoms include a lump or mass in the front of the neck close to the Adam's apple, hoarseness or difficulty speaking, pain in the neck or throat, or swollen lymph nodes located in the neck. These symptoms can also be associated with an infection, a benign goiter or another issue associated with the thyroid.TreatmentsThe type of treatment recommended depends on the severity and specific type of thyroid cancer found in an individual. The most common type of treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. The thyroid and any infected lymph nodes are removed during the surgery. A surgeon may recommend a lobectomy for certain patients, in which the lobe with the cancerous nodule is removed. Most patients must take thyroid hormone pills after having part or all of their thyroid removed.
After radiation treatment for thyroid cancer or other thyroid conditions, the remaining thyroid tissue may still function, but it can be damaged or destroyed by the radiation. In some cases, thyroid function can return if there is sufficient healthy tissue left, but it's also common for patients to develop hypothyroidism due to the treatment. Regular monitoring of thyroid hormone levels is essential to assess function post-treatment. If necessary, hormone replacement therapy may be required.
The most common types of thyroid cancer are Papillary and Follicular thyroid cancer, Medullary thyroid cancer and Anaplastic thyroid cancer. Depending upon a patient's age and diagnosis, there are different stages of thyroid cancer.For Papillary and Follicular thyroid cancer patients under 45, ThyCa (Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc.) says there are two stages. For those over 45, ThyCa says there are four stages.For Medullary thyroid cancer, ThyCa says there are zero to four stages. Stage zero, they say, can only be found using a screener test; there is no tumor present.As for Anaplastic thyroid cancer, ThyCa says this cancer grows quickly; so stage four is divided into stages.
William Sampson Handley has written: 'Impressions of thyroid surgery in America' -- subject(s): Surgery, Thyroid gland 'Cancer of the breast and its treatment' -- subject(s): Breast, Cancer, Surgery
Thyroid Cancer Canada was created in 2002.
Thyroid treatment would depend on the stage of the cancer. Options include, surgery, radiactive iodine, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy.