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What is Thyroid? |
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Symptoms
The thyroid gland is as susceptible to malignancies as any other part of the body, and thyroid cancer can interfere with the gland’s essential functions in metabolism. A person with thyroid cancer sometimes develops single or multiple nodules, fluid-containing lumps which build within the butterfly-shaped gland. Though these are usually non-malignant and cause no adverse symptoms, a small percentage are malignancies. Thyroid cancer often shows no symptoms at the early phases, but as the tumor grows, the patient may feel a rapidly-growing bump at the area of the neck which lies underneath the Adam’s apple. This is followed by a hoarse voice, and a difficulty with swallowing (dysphagia); labored breathing, inflamed lymph nodes (particularly at the neck), and pain in the neck area which can move up to the ears.
Causes
Healthy cells normally mature and divide in an orderly fashion, as regulated by the DNA; if the latter is damaged or mutated, the life cycle of the cells are automatically affected. In thyroid cancer, the damage can be obtained through prolonged exposure to toxic elements in the environment, as a part of the aging process, or through genetic causes. People who were previously exposed to radiation carry a higher susceptibility to thyroid cancer, and it can mature at any time, even decades following the original exposure. The highest risk comes from an element of nuclear fallout referred to as iodine-131, an isotope of the iodine which builds up in the thyroid gland. In contrast, the condition can be congenital, such as familial medullary cancer; in this case, a mutation of the gene which regulates cell growth is inherited.
Diagnosis
The cancer may be accidentally spotted during an imaging procedure which evaluated the neck area for another purpose, as the nodules which are found in this way are normally too minute to be observed during a physical examination. The doctor may then employ several tests to assist in a diagnosis. Ultrasound scanning can reveal the insides of neck area in detail; in the results, the abnormalities stand out easily, but the doctor cannot ascertain if the growth is malignant or otherwise. The status of the cancer can be determined through a fine-needle aspiration biopsy, wherein a thin needle is passed through the skin, and a sample is extracted from a nodule. If medullary cancer is suspected, blood tests may be conducted to measure calcitonin in the bloodstream.
Treatment Info
Surgery is usually the first resort of treatment, and is highly-successful if the malignancy is at its early stages. The doctor can excise the tumor or remove the thyroid gland completely, and sometimes even the afflicted lymph nodes may be removed as well. The patient will have to supplement the body’s need for thyroxin through hormone therapy. If follow-up tests reveal remnants of the thyroid tissue, a radioactive capsule of iodine 131 is taken to dissolve them. The malignancy may also be treated with concentrated beams of radioiodine, or if it has spread into adjacent areas, chemotherapy may be prescribed in an effort to shrink the tumors.
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