Thyroid Cancer Symptoms And Treatments
Cancer is an abnormal and accelerated growth of cells in an organ. The thyroid gland is susceptible to these abnormal changes. This gland is responsible for secreting hormones that contribute to important processes such as metabolism, heart rate and regulation of body temperature and blood pressure. Read on to find out all about thyroid cancer symptoms and treatments.
According to statistics published by the Global Cancer Observatory, in 2018, this disease accounted for 3.2% of newly diagnosed cancers. In addition, experts estimate that it caused more than 41,000 deaths worldwide in the same year.
The most visible symptom of thyroid cancer is the masses, known as nodules, that appear above the gland in the neck. This malignancy occurs mainly in patients over 60 years of age and under 30 years of age. In fact, according to estimates by the American Cancer Society, in 2020, doctors diagnosed 52,890 cases in the United States alone.
What are the symptoms of this type of cancer? What are the treatments for thyroid cancer? The answers to these questions are important to everyone. Like any other type of disease, early and correct diagnosis and treatment improve the prognosis. In this article, we will answer your questions.
Diagnosis and treatments of thyroid cancer
The last step of the diagnosis involves the differentiation between malignant and benign masses. The main diagnostic methods are medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).
The doctor, after asking a series of questions, will continue to feel the neck area and will want to feel the thyroid gland. Then he might ask for lab tests and, if he feels anything abnormal, he might use ultrasound to try to better understand what’s going on.
After confirming the nature of the neck mass, your doctor may recommend FNAB. Fine needle aspiration biopsy is the most accurate means of diagnosis for thyroid cancer. The doctor extracts the cells from the suspicious area and analyzes them in a laboratory.
Treatment for thyroid cancer involves surgical removal of the mass. Before performing surgery to treat thyroid cancer, your doctor will perform a procedure called laryngoscopy.
Through this procedure, the doctor checks if the vocal cords are moving normally. During the procedure, the doctor observes the neck with special mirrors or a special tube with light and mirror at the end to examine the larynx.
The doctor performs a laryngoscopy due to the risk of damage to the vocal cords during surgery. After surgery and evaluation, your doctor may suggest other complementary treatments, such as radiation therapy.
