Content:

• Causes
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Cancer treatment

The thyroid gland is a small organ that is located on the neck. This body controls many organs in the body. In the presence of any thyroid disease, timely treatment is necessary. Various formations (cysts, nodes, tumors) are quite common pathologies of the thyroid gland. Even formations of a benign nature can be dangerous for the patient. Upon reaching a diameter of 1 cm, and sometimes less, tumors can turn into malignant. The causes of thyroid cancer can vary. 

Causes

Reliably the reasons for the formation of thyroid cancer have not been established. However, the relationship between the formation of the disease and the following factors was noted:

• adverse environmental conditions;
• constant contact with harmful toxic substances (for example, as a result of professional activity);
•  radiation exposure, especially if it was carried out in childhood;
• genetic predisposition (to certain types of cancer);
• improper nutrition, lack of trace elements and vitamins necessary for the full functioning of the gland.

There may also be other causes of thyroid cancer. Malignancy of benign thyroid formations can occur with untimely detection of pathology. Benign neoplasms arise mainly due to a deficiency or excess of iodine in the body, the use of hormonal contraceptives for a long time, or other hormonal drugs. Hormonal failure in the body is also the cause of the formation of nodes in the thyroid gland.

Women are much more susceptible to the occurrence of formations in the thyroid gland, which is associated with frequent fluctuations in the hormonal background in the body (menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause). Women are 3 times more likely than men to suffer from thyroid cancer. Men are more prone to disease after 65 years.

Symptoms

At an early stage, the disease is quite difficult to diagnose. Cancer, as well as benign thyroid formations, is asymptomatic. Detection of a node on the neck may indicate the presence of cancer. A larger education is accompanied by certain symptoms. The patient’s voice changes somewhat under the pressure of education: it becomes hoarse, hoarse. A sore throat may also appear, a sensation of a foreign object, and difficulty swallowing. Large formations cause shortness of breath and shortness of breath.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of education is performed using ultrasound. Additionally, laboratory tests are used. Carrying out a fine-needle aspiration puncture allows a histological examination of the tissue formation for malignancy. But in some cases, even a biopsy does not guarantee that the formation is not cancer (with a follicular type of cancer). In this case, the formation is removed and during the operation the nature of the disease is determined.

Cancer treatment

Thyroid cancer is treated surgically using radioiodine therapy. After such treatment, the patient needs a lifelong intake of hormones.