Information about thyroid cancer
General
Cancer is a group of malignant cells that can form a growth, also called a carcinoma. These cells invade the surrounding healthy tissue and/or break away and spread throughout the body, sometimes causing new growths (metastases) elsewhere in the body. In the Netherlands, about 670 people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer every year. The disease is more than twice as common in women as in men. The exact cause of thyroid cancer is usually not known. Hereditary predisposition plays a role in some types. Previous radiation therapy in the neck also increases the risk of thyroid cancer. Radioactivity released during accidents can also cause thyroid cancer.
Symptoms
Thyroid cancer can cause the following symptoms (although you may experience no symptoms at all):
Tests
The tests to assess and diagnose thyroid cancer are basically the same as for a thyroid nodule and will almost always consist of a blood test, an ultrasonography, and a puncture. Sometimes a special thyroid scan may also be performed.
Diagnosis
There are four types of thyroid cancer:
Papillary carcinoma: This is the most common type of carcinoma. It is a slow-growing tumor and metastases rarely occur outside the thyroid. However, the tumors can occur in several places inside the thyroid gland.
Follicular carcinoma: Follicular thyroid carcinoma is less common than papillary thyroid carcinoma. Follicular thyroid carcinoma, as the name implies, originates in the follicular cells of the thyroid gland. A follicle is a sac. Normal thyroid tissue is made up of sacs. A carcinoma can develop in these. This type of tumor also grows slowly.
Anaplastic carcinoma: This is a rare type of thyroid cancer. It is an aggressive type and the carcinoma grows rapidly. It rapidly invades surrounding tissue and spreads easily.
Medullary carcinoma: This is also a rare type of thyroid cancer. The carcinoma is not formed in the thyroid cells that produce the thyroid hormone, but in the cells that produce calcitonin. Calcitonin regulates the level of calcium in the bones. Medullary carcinoma can be hereditary, in which case it is part of the “MEN 2 syndrome”. There is also an increased risk of tumors in the parathyroid and adrenal glands if you have this hereditary type of medullary carcinoma.
In addition to these four types, there are also a small number of very rare types of thyroid cancer.
There are are various treatment options, which will depend on your diagnosis.
Treatment
Treating thyroid cancer often involves surgery to remove the tumor. If the tumor is small, the removal of half of the thyroid gland is enough. However, tumors are often too large and the entire thyroid gland has to be removed. Several weeks after the removal of an entire thyroid gland, the surgery is often followed by radioactive iodine treatment.
Depending on the type of thyroid cancer and how advanced it is, you may be referred to Erasmus MC for treatment. The joint multidisciplinary team meetings make it possible to determine what the best treatment is for which patients and at which hospital. Any referrals to Erasmus MC can be arranged quickly through these meetings.
Click here for the Thyroid Network’s patient leaflet about thyroid cancer (Dutch).
Click here for the Thyroid Network’s patient leaflet about thyroid surgery (Dutch).
GeneralA goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. This enlargement can be smooth and uniform (diffuse goiter) or it can be caused by one or more lumps within the gland (nodul...
GeneralLumps in the thyroid gland (called thyroid nodules) are common. About 8% of adults have a perceptible nodule in the thyroid gland. In fact, as many as 25-40% of the ad...
GeneralThe function of the thyroid gland is to produce hormones. The most well known thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones are important for...
GeneralThe function of the thyroid gland is to produce hormones. The most well known thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones are important for...
GeneralPeople with Graves’ disease (overactive thyroid gland) may also develop eye problems. This is also called Graves’ orbitopathy or ophthalmopathy. The eye disease...