If a person has a malignant tumor of the thyroid gland, then he will be absolutely indifferent to the data that the oncology of this organ is rare. The only question will worry the patient – if thyroid cancer is diagnosed, how long do they live with such a disease?

What affects the prognosis of the disease

It is believed that thyroid cancer is one of the most benign, but the prognosis of the disease depends on many factors:

• type of cancer cells;
• stages of the disease and the presence of metastases;
• patient’s age;
• the health status of the patient;
• way of treatment.

Varieties of cancer

How long they live with thyroid cancer depends on what type of cancer cells hit this organ:

• Papillary. It is most common in cancer patients and has a favorable course. With appropriate treatment and medical supervision, 60% of patients live more than 10 years. If oncology was detected at an early stage, and surgical treatment was carried out, then after removal of thyroid cancer, a complete cure is possible.
• Follicular. This type of oncology is more aggressive and has a tendency to metastasize, but, with a timely operation, the survival rate is 70% within 5 years and almost 50% of operated cancer patients live longer than 10 years. If the pathology was detected at an early stage, then a complete cure is possible.
• Medullary. Unfortunately, this rare form of thyroid cancer is the most aggressive and prone to metastasis. A favorable outcome is possible only if the tumor was detected at an early stage of development and timely resection of the malignant neoplasm was performed. In this case, 60% of patients survive up to 5 years and 60% up to 10 years.
• Anaplastic. This type is found only in older people. Cancer is highly aggressive and prone to metastases, which rapidly grow in other organs and tissues. It is difficult to treat, the outcome of the disease is unfavorable.

In predicting the course of the disease, the type of cancer cells plays an important role.

Stages of the disease and metastases

The period of development of the tumor on which the treatment process was started plays an important role:

• I-II degree, when metastasis has not yet begun and the neoplasm is within the thyroid gland, has a favorable prognosis for almost all types of cancer cells (except anaplastic ones). After surgery, the chances for a full recovery are very high.
• II-IV degrees are treated only conservatively, with the help of chemotherapy. Surgery is rarely performed, only to alleviate the patient’s condition.

But oncology of the thyroid gland is manifested by discomfort from the throat (sore throat, difficulty breathing and swallowing) and is almost always detected in the early period when seeking medical help. Advanced cases in oncological practice are extremely rare.

Even if worsening of chronic tonsillitis is simply suspected, be examined by a doctor. Oncology of the thyroid gland in the early stages is often similar to the symptoms of tonsillitis or tracheitis.

Age

The younger the patient’s age, the less the consequences of thyroid resection affect the patient’s health and life expectancy. The statistics show the following:

• A remote thyroid gland for cancer in people under 30 years of age almost does not have negative health consequences.
• In persons aged 30-50 years, various complications of the functioning of systems and organs (more often hormonal disorders) are possible, the risk of recurrent neoplasms in the area of the parathyroid glands increases.
• In patients older than 50 years, there are many complications after surgery, and not only from the thyroid gland. Very often, older people have cancer recurrences.

Health status

If a person does not have severe chronic diseases, then almost always the treatment process is successful. After cancer, the patient almost completely restores his health and can lead a full life.

If the disease is complicated by additional chronic processes, then the postoperative recovery will be long and the likelihood of a recurrence of oncological pathology increases.

Method of treatment

Whether there will be a complete cure or whether the growth and reproduction of cancer cells will simply slow down depends on the method of treatment:

• Conservative. Chemotherapy is used at III-IV stages of the oncological process or if a person has contraindications to surgical intervention (a serious chronic pathology in which a death is possible, more often it is heart disease). With a conservative method, a complete cure is impossible, you can only slow down the progression of oncological processes.
• Operational. With a timely detected malignant tumor of the thyroid gland, resection of the organ often leads to a complete recovery. But, such people will have to take hormone replacement therapy for the rest of their lives to prevent the development of hypothyroidism .

There is no need to be afraid of removing the organ affected by the tumor. Regularly taking hormone replacement therapy, you can live a full life for many years. Women will even be able to endure and give birth to a healthy child, because thyroid resection is not a reason to abandon motherhood.

Life expectancy in thyroid cancer depends on many things, but almost always the prognosis for the disease is favorable after removal of the organ. But the outcome of rehabilitation and possible complications is affected by the general state of health and from many other reasons. But, if you seek help in a timely manner, then this type of oncology is successfully treated and the mortality rates with it are relatively low.