I'm Dr. Mabel Ryder,
an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic.
In this video, we'll cover
the basics of thyroid cancer:
What is it?
Who gets it? The symptoms.
Diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you're looking for answers for
yourself or someone you love,
we're here to give you
the best information available.
What is the thyroid?
This is a butterfly shaped
gland that sits at the base of your neck.
It's an important gland
responsible for producing
hormones that control a lot
of vital functions in your body,
such as your heart and your heart rate,
your blood pressure, your
body temperature, and your weight.
When thyroid cells mutate,
changes to their DNA cause them to grow and
multiply. Where healthy cells typically die,
these abnormal cells grow and
grow and eventually form a tumor.
Sometimes these cells invade nearby tissue,
and can spread or
metastasize to other parts of the body.
There are several different kinds
of thyroid cancer.
Some grow slowly.
Others can be more aggressive. Because we're
able to detect small thyroid cancers
with new technology, the rate
of thyroid cancer incidence has gone up.
However, most cancers are very treatable and
the prognosis for most patients
with thyroid cancer is excellent.
There are other things that can increase
your chances of developing thyroid cancer.
Women are three times more likely to develop
thyroid cancer. And exposure
to high levels of radiation,
for instance,
radiation therapy to the head or
neck for other cancers,
can increase your risk.
Certain hereditary genetic syndromes
may also play a role.
Different types of thyroid cancer are
more likely to affect different age groups.
Papillary thyroid cancer is
the most common form of thyroid cancer.
And although it can occur at any age, it
generally affects people ages 30 to 50.
Follicular thyroid cancer usually
affects people older than age 50.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is
a very rare type of
cancer that typically occurs
in adults 60 and older.
And medullary thyroid cancer.
Although uncommon,
up to 30 percent of patients with
medullary thyroid cancer are associated with
genetic syndromes that can
increase your risk for other tumors as well.
Typically, thyroid cancer doesn't trigger
any signs or symptoms in its early stages.
As it grows, you may notice
a lump that can be
felt through the skin in your neck.
You may notice changes to your voice,
including hoarseness of
your voice, or difficulty swallowing.
Some may develop pain
in their neck or throat.
Or you may develop swollen
lymph nodes in your neck.
If you're experiencing any of
these issues and are concerned,
make an appointment with your doctor.
Most often, diagnosing thyroid cancer
starts with the physical exam.
Your doctor will feel for
physical changes in
your neck and the thyroid.
This usually is followed by
blood tests and ultrasound imaging.
Armed with this information,
doctors may decide to do a biopsy to
remove a small sample of
tissue from your thyroid.
In some cases, genetic testing
may be done to help
determine any associated hereditary causes.
If diagnosed with thyroid cancer,
several other tests may
be done to help your doctor
determine whether your cancer has
spread beyond
the thyroid and outside of the neck.
These tests may include blood tests to check
tumor markers and imaging tests,
such as CT scans,
MRI, or nuclear imaging tests,
such as a radioiodine whole-body scan.
Fortunately, most thyroid cancers
can be beaten with treatments.
Very small cancers - under
1 centimeter - have a low risk
of growing or spreading and,
thus, might not need treatment right away.
Instead, your doctor may recommend
observation with blood tests,
an ultrasound,
and a physical exam once or twice per year.
In many people, this small cancer - under
1 centimeter - might never
grow and may never require surgery.
In cases where further treatment is
necessary, surgery is common.
Depending on your cancer,
your doctor may remove
just a portion of the thyroid -
a procedure known as thyroidectomy.
Or your doctor may remove all of the thyroid.
Other treatments may include
thyroid hormone therapy, alcohol ablation,
radioactive iodine, targeted drug therapy,
external radiation therapy,
and chemotherapy, in some.
Ultimately, what
your treatment looks like will
depend on the stage of
your cancer and the type
of thyroid cancer you have.
If you've been diagnosed with thyroid cancer,
you might feel as if you
aren't sure what to do next.
And that's normal, everyone eventually
find their own way of
coping with a cancer diagnosis.
But until you find what works for
you, try the following.
Learn all you can to
help you make decisions about your care.
Connect with other survivors.
Talking to people who share
your situation can be incredibly
helpful. And control what
you can about your health.
Take steps to keep your body
healthy during and after treatment.
Eat a healthy diet full
of a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Get enough rest. And
try to incorporate physical
activity when you can.
Being diagnosed with
cancer can be frightening,
but take comfort in the fact that
most cases of this cancer are treatable.
If you'd like to learn even
more about thyroid cancer,
watch our other related videos or
visit Mayo Clinic.org. We wish you well.