Thyroid Cancer Support

Posts Tagged ‘papillary thyroid cancer’

Thyroid cancer is one of the less common types of cancer to be diagnosed and, for most people who contact it, with treatment, the prospects of recovery are very good.

Many people discovering a lump in their thyroid region perhaps automatically fear that this might indicate cancer but most estimates reckon that only about 5% of all thyroid lumps are actually cancerous. Women are more at risk of thyroid cancer than men, with the highest chance of having the problem being between the ages of 30 and 55, before it decreases somewhat. The risk for men increases with age, until the age of about 75.

The four different types of thyroid cancer are papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer and the less common medullary and anaplastic tumours. Papillary cancer, the most common type, is also the one most likely to appear in people in the younger age bracket. Follicular cancer is more probable in older people. Medullary cancer can sometimes be genetically inherited so, if there is a family history of this problem, regular check ups and blood tests are a good idea. Anaplastic tumours, the rarest type of thyroid cancer, are more common in elderly patients and can develop more quickly than other types, whilst also sometimes being difficult to treat. In addition, it is possible that a person could develop a lymphoma of the thyroid, but this is even more uncommon.

There is no indication whatsoever that having an overactive or underactive thyroid can increase the risks of thyroid cancer. However, it has been estimated that approximately 1 in 5 cases of thyroid cancer do actually occur in people who, in the past, have had nodules, goitres or inflammation of the thyroid. This is particularly evident amongst people who have had nodules at a younger age.

Other possible people at more risk of thyroid cancer appear to be those who have had radiotherapy in the neck; been exposed to radiation in their work; suffer from the bowel disorder known as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis; have low iodine levels; have recently had babies or are going through the menopause.

Research studies, however, indicate that by far the largest contributory factor towards thyroid cancer appears to be an unhealthy diet. It appears that eating refined rather than unrefined carbohydrates leads to a higher risk of the problem developing. Eating good amounts of vegetables, containing Vitamins C and E, and avoiding too much butter, cheese and red meat seems to be a way of trying to avoid thyroid cancer.

Dependent upon the type of cancer you have, your age, fitness levels and general health and how far your cancer has developed, your specialist doctor will decide upon the requisite treatment for you. Predominantly, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and occasionally hormone therapy are used.

Surgery can involve either a partial or total thyroidectomy – removal of the thyroid gland. Mostly, doctors prefer the total thyroidectomy as it stops the cancer from possibly returning, although it means the patient
will require thyroid hormone tablets afterwards.

The radiotherapy used in thyroid cancer treatment is a targeted radiotherapy employing a radioactive form of iodine which can specifically target and destroy the cancer cells. There are generally very few side effects to this treatment. Radiotherapy is sometimes used after surgery to help prevent the return of the cancer or to treat cancer that has returned despite previous treatment. Chemotherapy, much less commonly used, is employed to treat advanced or returning cancers.

It needs to be re-emphasised, though, that not only is thyroid cancer quite rare but also, especially with early diagnosis and treatment, the fact is that many people are successfully and completely cured of it.

There are different types of thyroid cancer. Each type requires a different type of prognosis and treatment. The different types of thyroid cancer include:

Papillary thyroid cancer Follicular thyroid cancer Medullary thyroid cancer Anaplastic thyroid cancer Thyroid lymphoma

Papillary thyroid cancer – This is the most common type of thyroid cancer; it makes up about 80% of all thyroid cancer cases. Papillary cancer is not age-specific. It can happen at any age, but happens to be common in patients between ages 30 to 50 years of age.

Follicular thyroid cancer - Follicular thyroid cancer usually happens to individuals that are over 50 years of age. Follicular cancer also includes Hurthle cell cancer.

Medullary thyroid cancer - There may be a connection with this type of thyroid cancer and inherited genetic syndromes. These syndromes may, in fact, include tumors in other glands as well. Medullary thyroid cancer happens sporadically.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer - This type of thyroid cancer is even less common. It is also very, aggressive and difficult to treat. This particular type of thyroid cancer occurs in individuals over the age of 60.

Thyroid lymphoma - Thyroid lymphoma is even rarer. It starts in the immune system cells of the thyroid gland. This version of the cancer usually happens in persons over the age of 70.

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase the risk of thyroid cancer include:

Radiation exposure - This includes instances of radiation treatment to the head and neck as well as from exposure to nuclear fallout or even nuclear weapons testing.

Personal/family history of goiter - Goiter is not a cancer. It is the non-cancerous enlargement of the thyroid.

Inherited genetic syndromes - If anyone in the family has a history of medullary thyroid cancer, this could increase the possibility of developing a form of thyroid cancer. If anyone in the family has suffered from multiple endocrine neoplasia and adenomatous polyposis, this too can be a risk factor.

Complications

Recurrences. It is possible for thyroid cancer to return even after a previous instance of the cancer has been removed. How does this happen? If any microscopic cancer cells spread beyond the thyroid gland before its removal, those remaining mutated cells can continue to infect the gland. Such recurrences can even happen many years after thyroid cancer treatment.

Where does thyroid cancer usually occur? It usually happens in the lymph nodes of the neck or in any infected thyroid tissue left behind during surgery. Thyroid cancer can also occur in the lungs or bones.

It is possible to treat recurrences and your doctor will most likely recommend scheduled blood tests or scans to check for signs of any recurrence of the cancer.