Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck.
What is thyroid cancer or carcinoma?
Your thyroid, located in your neck, is like a small, hardworking factory that is responsible for making the hormones that control your metabolism, growth, and energy levels. Thyroid cancer happens when these cells start to grow abnormally or uncontrollably. This growth can often be detected by a lump or tumor in the thyroid gland.
Cancer is scary, regardless of type and location. It’s important to know, however, thyroid cancer is often slow-growing and treatable — especially when caught early. Think of a small fire. If caught early, it’s easy to contain and put out. That’s often how thyroid cancer is managed.
It’s important to be aware of any changes in your neck, like a lump or swelling, and to see a doctor if you notice anything unusual. Early detection is key to successful treatment and a good outcome. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, and development so it can impact more than just one part of your body.
Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon, accounting for about 1% of all cancers. It is more common in women than men, and the risk increases with age.
Head and Neck Cancer Center of Excellence
The Head and Neck Cancer Center of Excellence has one of the busiest thyroid centers in western Pennsylvania. In fact, people come from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to receive care from our highly experienced and compassionate staff.
Our skilled team includes:
- Physicians
- Endocrinologists
- ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons
- General surgeons
- Physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
Our whole-person approach to care includes robust support services such as support groups, electronic medical records, palliative care, and cancer genetics.
AHN Thyroid Cancer Program
At our Thyroid Cancer Program, we take pride in caring for our patients, supporting them throughout the process, and providing positive results. Our comprehensive service is:
- Patient-centered: You are our focus. We’re dedicated to ensuring you are comfortable throughout the process and that you understand the next steps in your care. Our robust patient-focused services include cancer support groups, palliative care, and cancer genetics testing.
- Research-based: Our staff uses the latest research, findings, and technology to provide the most comprehensive treatment.
- Collaborative: Multiple specialists work together to review your case and make treatment recommendations. When many experts come together to combine their expertise, you get a more thorough and effective personalized treatment plan.
- Expert: Although thyroid cancer is very treatable, the surgery to cure it is quite intricate. Our thyroid cancer experts see many patients every year, so our surgeons have a lot of experience successfully performing the procedure.
- Convenient: You don’t have to travel far to get the comprehensive care you need. You can focus your energy on your health, not on traveling.
Thyroid cancer symptoms and signs
There is no routine screening for thyroid cancer. However, your doctor may recommend a thyroid exam if you have any of the following symptoms:
- A lump or swelling in your neck
- Hoarseness or difficulty swallowing
- Pain in your neck
- Persistent coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
Thyroid cancer risk factors
While the exact cause of thyroid cancer is unknown, several factors can increase your risk of developing it. The most significant known cause for thyroid cancer is exposure to radiation. Exposure to high doses of radiation, particularly during childhood, can significantly increase the risk of thyroid cancer. This includes:
- Medical radiation: Radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, especially in childhood.
- Nuclear accidents: Exposure to radioactive fallout from nuclear accidents.
- Nuclear weapons testing: Exposure to radiation from nuclear weapons testing.
There are certain other risk factors, and while these do not guarantee a thyroid cancer diagnosis, it’s important to be aware of them and speak with your doctor about any concerns you may have.
- Family history: Having a family member with thyroid cancer increases your risk.
- Genetics: Certain genetic mutations can increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
- Gender: Women are three times more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men.
- Age: The risk of thyroid cancer increases with age, particularly after the age of 50.
- Iodine deficiency: While rare in developed countries, iodine deficiency can increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
- Certain medical conditions: People with certain medical conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A), have an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
- Exposure to certain chemicals: Exposure to certain chemicals, such as asbestos and dioxins, may also increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
If you have any concerns about your risk of thyroid cancer, talk to your doctor. They can assess your individual risk factors and recommend appropriate screening or preventive measures.
Thyroid cancer screening and diagnosis
To begin diagnosis, we discuss your symptoms with you and perform a physical exam to feel for any lumps or nodules on the neck. We may recommend other tests to confirm a diagnosis:
- Ultrasound: This device uses sound waves to make an image of your thyroid.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: This special X-ray creates a detailed picture of your thyroid and neck.
- Biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA): We insert a small needle into the thyroid nodule to get a sample of cells. A specially trained doctor, called a pathologist, looks at the cells under a microscope to determine if they are cancerous. We give you a local anesthetic before performing this minimally invasive procedure.
Types and stages of thyroid cancer
There are several types of thyroid cancer, each with its own characteristics and prognosis. The stage of thyroid cancer is a major factor in determining the prognosis. Earlier stages are generally associated with a better prognosis than later stages.
Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC)
The most common type, usually slow-growing and highly treatable.
Stages of PTC:
- Stage 1: Tumor is less than 1 cm in size and confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 2: Tumor is larger than 1 cm but still confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 3: Tumor has spread beyond the thyroid gland to nearby lymph nodes or tissues.
- Stage 4: Tumor has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, bones, or other organs.
Follicular Thyroid Cancer (FTC)
Also slow growing, but can spread to other parts of the body.
Stages of FTC:
- Stage 1: Tumor is less than 4 cm in size and confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 2: Tumor is larger than 4 cm but still confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 3: Tumor has spread beyond the thyroid gland to nearby lymph nodes or tissues.
- Stage 4: Tumor has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, bones, or other organs.
Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC)
Less common, but can be more aggressive.
Stages of MTC:
Stage 1: Tumor is less than 2 cm in size and confined to the thyroid gland.
Stage 2: Tumor is larger than 2 cm but still confined to the thyroid gland.
Stage 3: Tumor has spread beyond the thyroid gland to nearby lymph nodes or tissues.
Stage 4: Tumor has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, bones, or other organs.
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC)
The rarest and most aggressive type, often difficult to treat.
Stages of ATC:
- Stage 1: Tumor is less than 4 cm in size and confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 2: Tumor is larger than 4 cm but still confined to the thyroid gland.
- Stage 3: Tumor has spread beyond the thyroid gland to nearby lymph nodes or tissues.
- Stage 4: Tumor has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, bones, or other organs.
Thyroid cancer treatment
At the AHN Head and Neck Cancer Center of Excellence, we use the latest techniques and technology to provide a comprehensive treatment plan. Learn more about thyroid cancer treatment.
Your team includes many different specialists, all working together on your diagnosis and treatment:
- Endocrinologists
- ENT (ear, nose, and throat specialist) surgeons
- General surgeons
- Physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Oncologists
After we confirm the diagnosis and stage of the cancer, our highly experienced team reviews your case to establish a personalized treatment plan.
For most early-stage thyroid cancer, the treatment is:
- Lobectomy: Our accomplished surgeons remove the entire thyroid or a part of it.
- Radioactive iodine: An endocrinologist (a physician who treats hormone disorders) prescribes radioactive iodine (in liquid or capsule form) to be taken by mouth. It destroys any thyroid cells that might be left after surgery but does not harm any other tissue within the body.
For more advanced cases, other treatment options may include:
- Chemotherapy: These powerful medications destroy the cancer. They may also cause side effects. Our team works with you to minimize the side effects as much as possible.
- Targeted therapy: This therapy causes fewer side effects than chemotherapy. It works by attacking specific genes within the surrounding blood vessels to stop the cancer from growing.
- Hormone therapy: Your thyroid secretes, or releases, many hormones that the body needs. Thyroid cancer can prevent the thyroid from doing its job. Hormone therapy uses drugs to replace those hormones. The medication often slows the growth of cancer cells as well.
The prognosis for thyroid cancer is generally good, especially for early-stage disease. However, it is important to follow up with your doctor regularly to monitor for any recurrence.
Thyroid cancer FAQs
Thyroid cancer is often a very treatable cancer, especially if found early. Even with this fact, there are still plenty of questions that can arise with a diagnosis. Your AHN care team is available to help you and answer those specific questions, but to help you navigate the unknown, we’ve provided answers to some of our patients’ most frequently asked questions. Feel free to use these as a guide in your conversations with your care team.
How serious is cancer of the thyroid?
Thyroid cancer is generally considered one of the less aggressive cancers, especially if detected early. Many types of thyroid cancer, particularly papillary and follicular carcinomas, have excellent prognoses and high survival rates. However, rarer forms like anaplastic thyroid cancer are much more aggressive and serious.
What happens after you are diagnosed with thyroid cancer?
After a thyroid cancer diagnosis, your care team will typically stage the cancer to determine its extent, which guides treatment decisions. This often involves a discussion of treatment options, which may include surgery to remove part or all the thyroid, radioactive iodine therapy, external beam radiation, or targeted drug therapies. Regular monitoring will also be part of your ongoing care.
Do thyroid nodules turn into cancer?
The vast majority of thyroid nodules (over 90%) are benign, meaning they are non-cancerous and do not turn into cancer. However, a small percentage of thyroid nodules are cancerous, so it's important for any newly discovered nodule to be evaluated by your AHN doctor.
Can you live a normal life after thyroid cancer?
Yes, most people successfully treated for thyroid cancer go on to live a normal and healthy life. Following treatment, lifelong thyroid hormone replacement medication is often necessary to compensate for the removed thyroid, and regular follow-up appointments are required to monitor for recurrence.
Is thyroid carcinoma a cancer?
Yes, thyroid carcinoma is indeed cancer. Carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in the epithelial cells, which are cells that form the lining of organs and glands, such as the thyroid gland.
Can thyroid cancer be completely cured?
For many types of thyroid cancer, particularly if caught early, complete cure is very common. Surgical removal of the thyroid gland, often followed by radioactive iodine therapy, is highly effective in eradicating the cancer. However, lifelong monitoring is still crucial as recurrence, while uncommon, is possible.
How is thyroid cancer prevented?
There are no definitive ways to entirely prevent thyroid cancer, as many risk factors are beyond individual control (e.g., genetics, radiation exposure). However, minimizing unnecessary exposure to radiation, especially to the head and neck, and consuming adequate iodine in your diet (if living in an iodine-deficient area) are general recommendations.
What are the survival rates of thyroid cancer?
Survival rates for thyroid cancer are generally very high. For localized or regional papillary and follicular thyroid cancers, the five-year survival rate can be over 98%. Even when the cancer has spread further, the overall five-year survival rate remains high, often in the high 90s, depending on the specific type and stage of the cancer.
Contact us
Call the AHN Cancer Help Line anytime at 412-NURSE-4-U 412-687-7348 to schedule a cancer-related appointment or to just talk with our nurses about diagnoses, treatments, and side effects.