Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid
Cancer:
Thyroid cancer is a disease in which the
cells of the thyroid gland become abnormal, grow
uncontrollably, and form a mass of cells called a tumor. Thyroid cancer is
grouped into four types
based on how its cells appear under a microscope. The types are papillary,
follicular, medullary and
anaplastic thyroid cancers. They grow at different rates and can spread to
other parts of the
body if left untreated. The thyroid is a hormone-producing
butterfly-shaped gland located in the
neck at the base of the throat. It has two lobes, the left and the right.
The thyroid uses iodine, a
mineral found in some foods, to make several of its hormones. Thyroid
hormones regulate essential
body processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature,
metabolism; and affect the
nervous system, muscles and other organs. These hormones also play an
important role in
regulating childhood growth and development.
Most
thyroid cancers are very curable. In fact, the most common types of
thyroid cancer
(papillary and follicular) are the most curable. In younger patients, both
papillary and follicular
cancers can be expected to have better than 97% cure rate if treated
appropriately. Both
papillary and follicular cancers are typically treated with complete
removal of the lobe of the
thyroid which harbors the cancer, PLUS, removal of most or all of the
other side. The bottom line,
most thyroid cancers are papillary thyroid cancer, and this is one of the
most curable cancers of
ALL cancers that humans get. As we often tell our patients, if you must
choose a type of cancer
to have, papillary cancer would be your choice. Treat it correctly and the
cure rate is extremely
high. Medullary cancer of the thyroid is significantly less common, but
has a worse prognosis.
Medullary cancers tend to spread to large numbers of lymph nodes very
early on, and therefore
requires a much more aggressive operation than does the more localized
cancers such as papillary
and follicular. This cancer requires complete thyroid removal PLUS a
dissection to remove the
lymph nodes of the front and sides of the neck..
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