According to the National Cancer Institute there are about 37,000 new cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed each year in the U.S. Thyroid cancer can occur in any age group, although it is most common after age 30. Its aggressiveness increases significantly in older patients. Sonia Sugg, MD, surgical oncologist at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about thyroid cancer:
Where is the thyroid located?
The thyroid is a small endocrine gland located in the front of the neck between the voice box and the top of the sternum, which is the breast bone.
Is the detection of thyroid cancer on the rise?
It is in fact. The incidence has risen over the last decade or so, and a lot of experts believe it's because we're detecting thyroid cancer earlier. We maybe detecting thyroid cancer that may or may not be clinically significant because we're doing a lot more imaging tests on people, so they get picked up incidentally on—let's say—carotid artery ultrasounds or neck CT scans and the like.
Are women more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men? Why?
Yes, women are about three times more likely to develop thyroid cancer and we really don't understand the reason why.
What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer, if any?
Often if the thyroid cancer is detected with an imaging study, there might not be any symptoms. The most common way people notice that they could have thyroid cancer is a nodule on the thyroid itself, which can be detected by looking at yourself in the mirror, or feeling the thyroid gland. Another thing that one might notice would be an enlarged lymph node in the neck itself. Rarely, it can present with hoarseness.
How is thyroid cancer treated?
The treatment for thyroid cancer is primarily surgical—the thyroid gland is removed and if there are any diseased lymph nodes, those are removed as well. This can be followed by radioactive iodine. In certain patients, there is a very limited role for chemotherapy or radiation therapy for thyroid cancer.
If treatment includes removal of the thyroid, can a person live without their thyroid?
Absolutely—the function of the thyroid gland can be completely substituted with levothyroxine, which is a pill that one takes every day.
Is thyroid cancer curable?
Yes, thyroid cancer is one of the most curable cancers. The five-year survival rate for thyroid cancer is about 97 percent, so it is a very curable disease. |
