Papillary thyroid cancer (patient information)
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Papillary thyroid cancer |
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Papillary thyroid cancer On the Web |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Papillary thyroid cancer |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ammu Susheela, M.D. [2]
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Overview
Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck which makes hormones to help the body work normally. papillary thyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the thyroid gland. papillary thyroid cancer doesn't have any early symptoms. With the development of the cancer, usual symptoms include a lump that can be felt through the skin on your neck, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, pain in the neck and throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, thyroid hormone therapy or a combination of them.
What are the symptoms of papillary thyroid cancer?
Early papillary thyroid cancer does not have any symptoms. As the tumor grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- A nodule, lump, or swelling in the neck
What causes papillary thyroid cancer?
- The exact cause of papillary thyroid cancer is unknown. Certain genetic mutation is suscepted to be the cause of papillary thyroid cancer.
- People who have had radiation therapy to the neck are at higher risk. Radiation therapy was commonly used in the 1950's to treat enlarged thymus glands, adenoids and tonsils, and skin disorders. People who received radiation therapy as children are at increased risk for developing papillary thyroid cancer.
Who is at highest risk?
Clinical data have suggested that the development of papillary thyroid cancer is related to several factors.
- A diet low in iodine: Clinical survey show papillary thyroid cancers are more common in areas where people's diets are low in iodine.
- Radiation: Scientists has proven that radiation exposure is a risk factor for papillary thyroid cancer. Such radiation includes medical treatments and radiation fallout from power plant accidents or nuclear weapons.
- Age: Over 45 years
Diagnosis
Your doctor will perform a physical exam. This may reveal a lump in the thyroid, or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The following tests may be done:
- Calcitonin blood test to check for medullary cancer
- Laryngoscopy
- Thyroid biopsy
- Thyroid scan
- Ultrasound of the thyroid
When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if symptoms of thyroid cancer develop.
Treatment options
Patients with papillary thyroid cancer have many treatment options. The selection depends on the stage of the tumor. The options are surgery, radioactive iodine, and chemotherapy. In case surgery is not viable, radiation therapy can also be administered.
- Surgery: Surgery is the main treatment for papillary thyroid cancer. Usually, surgery of removing the tumor and all or part of the remaining thyroid gland is recommended.
- Radiation therapy: It includes radioactive Iodine (Radioiodine) therapy and external beam radiation therapy. Radioactive iodine (RAI) known as I-131 can be taken into the body to destroy the thyroid gland and any other thyroid cells including cancer cells. During external beam radiation therapy, the doctors use high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells or slow their rate of growth.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is seldom helpful for most types of papillary thyroid cancer.
- Thyroid hormone therapy: This treatment is to take daily pills of thyroid hormone. The aim is to help maintain the body's normal metabolism (by replacing missing thyroid hormone) and prevent some thyroid cancers from returning.
Where to find medical care for papillary thyroid cancer?
Directions to Hospitals Treating thyroid cancer
Prevention of papillary thyroid cancer
The reasons for the development of papillary thyroid cancer are not clear. Epidemiological data show the following may be helpful:
- Avoidance of diets low in iodine
- Avoidance of radiation exposure
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
The prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer depends on the following:
- The stage of the cancer: the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread outside the thyroid gland
- Whether or not the tumor can be removed by surgery
- Patient's age
- Size of the tumor
Possible complications
- Injury to the voice box and hoarseness after thryoid surgery
- Low calcium levels from accidental removal of the parathyroid glands during surgery
- Spread of the cancer to the lungs, bones, or other parts of the body
Sources
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000331.htm