Thyroid Cancer

Common Condition

Cancer of the thyroid gland, usually treatable with excellent prognosis when caught early.

Related specialists:Oncologist Endocrinologist Surgeon

Symptoms

Lump in neck that can be felt

Changes in voice, including hoarseness

Difficulty swallowing

Pain in neck and throat

Swollen lymph nodes

Usually grows slowly

May have no symptoms initially

Neck pressure

Persistent cough

Breathing difficulty (rare)

Causes

1

Radiation exposure to head/neck

2

Family history

3

Genetic syndromes (MEN)

4

Iodine deficiency

5

Being female

6

Age (40-50 peak)

7

Certain genetic mutations

8

Previous thyroid conditions

9

Obesity

10

Often unknown cause

Treatments

Surgery (thyroidectomy)

Radioactive iodine therapy

Thyroid hormone therapy

External radiation

Chemotherapy (rare)

Targeted therapy

Clinical trials

Active surveillance (small tumors)

Lifelong monitoring

Thyroid hormone replacement

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you notice a lump in your neck, voice changes, difficulty swallowing, or neck pain. Most thyroid nodules are benign, but evaluation is important.

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About Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer: Excellent Prognosis with Treatment

Thyroid cancer has one of the highest survival rates of all cancers. Most cases are treated successfully with surgery and radioactive iodine, followed by thyroid hormone replacement.

"Ang thyroid cancer ay karaniwang magaling—huwag matakot magpatingin."

Specialists Who Commonly Treat Thyroid Cancer

Based on related specialties