The thyroid gland is a part of the endocrine system of the body, designed to produce hormones necessary for metabolism. The main is thyroxine, which takes on a huge number of possible functions. In particular, the thyroid gland is responsible for thermoregulation, heart rate and a number of other important signs for the human body. It happens that the function of this body is violated. This can lead to a number of unpleasant or even life-threatening conditions. One of these is the oncology of this gland. 

What is thyroid cancer?

This is a disease in which part of the cells begins to multiply very quickly. As a result, a foreign body begins to form on the surface of the thyroid gland or inside it, which after some time infects other cells, which also begin to degenerate. When this process goes too far, everything can end in death. In general, cancer is a complete failure of the whole organism, despite the fact that there is only one main focus. As for the speed of its development, it all depends not only on the form of the disease, but also on the individual personality characteristics of the person.

First stage

At this stage, cancer may not be diagnosed at all. Symptoms are also very rare. It is characteristic of her that the gland has a small formation, which gradually increases, but does not infect neighboring cells. It almost never goes beyond the gland. Metastases (these are secondary foci of the disease) are absent.

Second stage

The second stage is more differentiated, therefore it is divided into:

• 2a stage. There are no metastases. Several tumors in the thyroid gland are possible, due to which it is deformed. So, during the first stage, there is no question of any deformation.
•  2b stage. In this case, deformation of the thyroid gland may not be caused, but there may be metastases near the tumor.

Third stage

The third stage is also divided into two:

• 3a stage. The tumor already begins to go beyond the capsule of the thyroid gland, compresses neighboring organs. Therefore, a person may feel labored breathing, difficulty swallowing. Gland displacement is limited. Mestases are absent.
• 3b. The tumor can be both the first, and second and even third stages. But at the same time, there are already bilateral metastases on the neck or on the side that is opposite to the defeat of the thyroid gland. There are no distant metastases.

Fourth stage

This stage is fatal and intractable. Palliative therapy is most often performed on it (this is one that is aimed at alleviating the condition). A tumor can invade distant organs or tissues, and metastases can be far away. Very often, against the background of thyroid cancer, metastases in the lungs or even further can occur. That is why it is so difficult to cure this disease.

conclusions

We figured out what stages thyroid cancer has. The disease itself has a more favorable prognosis than other types of oncology. For example, in young people it very rarely comes to the fourth stage. As a rule, the second ends. But there are different forms of cancer and the duration of the development of the disease depends on them. For example, anaplastic cancer is initially considered the fourth stage. This form is very rare, but if a person received it, then all that can be done for him is to provide palliative treatment. And then, not for long, since this cancer develops very quickly.