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Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence rates over the past several years.
The American Cancer Society has estimated that there will be about 37,340 new cases of thyroid cancer in the United States in 2008. Risk FactorsPeople in the early stages of thyroid cancer typically do not experience symptoms. However, by knowing some of the risk factors, early detection and successful treatment are possible. Risk factors for thyroid cancer include the following (these factors do not mean that you will get cancer):
Warning SignsIt is important to stress that thyroid cancer is treatable, and most thyroid nodules (lumps) are benign. Because early detection does save lives, everyone should know the following warning signs:
If you experience any of these symptoms, ask your doctor for a neck check. Your doctor may perform an exam to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or swelling in the neck, voice box, and lymph nodes, and anything else that may seem unusual. DiagnosisWhen a doctor does find a thyroid nodule, he/she will typically request a fine needle aspiration to obtain a sample of the tissue that will then be sent to a Pathologist for evaluation. If the test is conclusive for malignancy, or in some instances non-diagnostic (unable to be determined), surgery will usually be scheduled to perform an excisional biopsy, or thyroidectomy (removal of part or all of the thyroid gland). TreatmentIf detected early, most papillary and follicular thyroid cancer can be treated successfully. Treatment may involve one or more of the following:
RecurrenceAccording to the Mayo Clinic Endocrinology Update Vol 3 #1 2008 p. 1, "Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC) recurs after apparently successful thyroidectomy in 15% to 30% of patients." Treatment for recurrence of thyroid cancer is usally the same as treatment for newly diagnosed thyroid cancer. Patient and Family SupportThere are quite a few support groups for thyroid cancer patients and families of thyroid cancer patients, such as ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc.. These groups can usually be easily located by typing "thyroid cancer" into an internet search engine. You should be able to find information about the different types of thyroid cancer, the staging of thyroid cancer, the treatment of thyroid cancer, and more. Sources
The copyright of the article Thyroid Cancer in Thyroid Disorders is owned by Janet L. Savage. Permission to republish Thyroid Cancer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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