Signs and symptoms that might point towards thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the thyroid. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and weight.

Thyroid cancer might not cause any symptoms at first. But as it grows, it can cause signs and symptoms, such as swelling in your neck, voice changes and difficulty swallowing.

Several types of thyroid cancer exist. Most types grow slowly, though some types can be very aggressive. Most thyroid cancers can be cured with treatment.

How common is thyroid cancer?

Close to 53,000 Americans receive a thyroid cancer diagnosis every year. Treatments for most thyroid cancers are very successful. Still, about 2,000 people die from the disease every year.

Women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) are three times more likely to get thyroid cancer compared to men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). The disease is commonly diagnosed in women and people AFAB in their 40s and 50s and men and people AMAB in their 60s and 70s. Even children can develop the disease.

Thyroid cancer rates seem to be increasing. The increase may be caused by improved imaging technology that allows health care providers to find small thyroid cancers on CT and MRI scans done for other conditions (incidental thyroid cancers). Thyroid cancers found in this way are usually small cancers that respond well to treatments.

What are the types of thyroid cancer?

Healthcare providers classify thyroid cancer based on the type of cells from which the cancer grows. Types of thyroid cancer include:

• Papillary: Up to 80% of all thyroid cancers are papillary. This cancer type grows slowly. Although papillary thyroid cancer often spreads to lymph nodes in your neck, the disease responds very well to treatment. Papillary thyroid cancer is highly curable and rarely fatal.
• Follicular: Follicular thyroid cancer accounts for up to 15% of thyroid cancer diagnoses. This cancer is more likely to spread to your bones and organs, like your lungs. Metastatic cancer (cancer that spreads) may be more challenging to treat.
• Medullary: About 2% of thyroid cancers are medullary. A quarter of people with medullary thyroid cancer have a family history of the disease. A faulty gene (genetic mutation) may be to blame.
• Anaplastic: This aggressive thyroid cancer is the hardest type to treat. It can grow quickly and often spreads into surrounding tissue and other parts of your body. This rare cancer type accounts for about 2% of thyroid cancer diagnoses.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer can cause any of the following signs or symptoms:

• A lump in the neck, sometimes growing quickly
• Swelling in the neck
• Pain in the front of the neck, sometimes going up to the ears
• Hoarseness or other voice changes that do not go away
• Trouble swallowing
• Trouble breathing
• A constant cough that is not due to a cold

What are the signs that thyroid cancer has spread?

If you have thyroid cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other areas of your body, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Unexpected weight loss.

What causes thyroid cancer?

Experts aren’t sure why some cells become cancerous (malignant) and attack your thyroid. Certain factors, such as radiation exposure, a diet low in iodine and faulty genes can increase risk. Other risk factors include:

• Enlarged thyroid (goiter).
• Family history of thyroid disease or thyroid cancer.
• Thyroiditis (inflammation of your thyroid gland).
• Gene mutations (changes) that cause endocrine diseases, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) or type 2B (MEN2B) syndrome.
• Low iodine intake.
• Obesity (high body mass index).
• Radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, especially during childhood.
• Exposure to radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons or a power plant accident.

How is thyroid cancer managed or treated?

Treatments for thyroid cancer depend on the tumor size and whether the cancer has spread. Treatments include:

• Surgery: Surgery is the most common treatment for thyroid cancer. Depending on the tumor’s size and location, a surgeon may remove part of your thyroid gland (lobectomy) or all of the gland (thyroidectomy). The surgeon also removes any nearby lymph nodes where cancer cells have spread.
• Radioiodine therapy: With radioiodine therapy, you swallow a pill or liquid containing a higher dose of radioactive iodine than what’s used in a diagnostic radioiodine scan. The radioiodine shrinks and destroys the diseased thyroid gland along with cancer cells. This treatment is very safe. Your thyroid gland absorbs almost all of the radioiodine and the rest of your body has minimal radiation exposure.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation kills cancer cells and stops them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine to deliver strong beams of energy directly to the tumor site. Internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) involves placing radioactive seeds in or around the tumor.
• Chemotherapy: Intravenous or oral chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells and stops cancer growth. Very few people diagnosed with thyroid cancer will ever need chemotherapy.
• Hormone therapy: This treatment blocks the release of hormones that can cause cancer to spread or come back.

NOTE: The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.