Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is a fairly rare form of cancer that develops from the cells of the thyroid
gland. This type of cancer affects approximately 1 in 1,000 people, and has a very high survival
rate with several successful treatments. There is no prevention to thyroid cancer, although there
is a high incidence of the disease in people who have been in exposed to radiation. Overall, there
is a fair amount of scientific knowledge on the causes and subtypes of thyroid cancer, creating
very effective and successful treatment method.
Thyroid cancer is thought to be caused by a variety of environmental and genetic aspects,
including radiation or radiotherapy to the neck, and a genetic defect known as MEN2 syndrome
which originates from a mutated gene. Women are thought to be more predisposed to the disease
than men because it is slightly more common in women than in men, however, it is seen in all
age groups. Similar to the several causes of this cancer come the numerous forms of thyroid
cancer , each with varying degrees of severity.
There are several types of thyroid cancer including papillary carcinoma, follicular
carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, and anaplastic carcinoma, which all originate from the cells of
the thyroid gland. Papillary carcinoma is the most common of the types of thyroid cancer, and is
tumor on the thyroid gland, which spreads slowly and rarely causes death. It is much more
common in women, seen in about a 3 to 1 ratio to men, and is most frequently diagnosed in those
of thirty to forty years. Follicular carcinoma is the next most common type of thyroid cancer,
being most well known for spreading from the thyroid gland, and reoccurring after treatment.
Medullary carcinoma is occuring most often when there are genetic ties, such as in families. This
form involves non-thyroid cells and requires a different method of treatment in comparison to
most thyroid cancer cases. Another form of thyroid cancer which requires varying methods of
treatment is anaplastic carcinoma, and is the most serious type of thyroid cancer. However,
anaplastic carcinoma is also a very rare form of cancer that spreads quickly disrupting the
trachea , which then causes difficulties in breathing and compression. With each of these forms
of thyroid cancer also come numerous treatments, which are more often than not effective and
successful.
There are several methods for the treatment of thyroid cancer, each causing the different
forms of the disease to react differently. Surgery, at this point in time, is the most common and
effective procedure in the treatment of thyroid cancer. In this process the entire thyroid gland is
usually removed, as will the lymph nodes if the cancer has spread past the thyroid gland.
Radiation therapy is another common treatment for thyroid cancer, whether surgery has been
preformed or not. This process matches well with surgery because it kills any cancer cells which
were left from the operation, and decreases the chances for a reoccurrence. Unfortunately,
though, this treatment does not work for some forms of the cancer. Chemotherapy becomes a last
option for thyroid cancer, mostly because it is not very successful, effecting only about one third
of those with thyroid cancer. However, doctors use chemotherapy treatment when other
treatments have failed. With the fairly aggressive approach that doctors take to treat thyroid
cancer there are some subsequent effects of the treatment methods, however they are very
effective.
After receiving treatment for thyroid cancer, a thyroid hormone must be taken to replace
the function of the gland, as an effect of the aggressive treatments, including the removal of the
gland. The dosage that is taken is often higher than the level of the hormones, which the thyroid
gland would secrete, aiding in decreasing the chances of a reoccurrence. Ways to check for a
reoccurence are the same as those methods that were used to diagnose the cancer, including a
biopsy, an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, a thyroid scan that shows the cold nodule, or a blood
test. The most difficult factor in diagnosing thyroid cancer is that there is no screening test
available. This soon may change, though, as scientist have now developed a screen test for the
mutated gene that causes MEN2 syndrome which may soon lead to easier and faster testing for
thyroid cancer.
SOURCES:
“Cancer.” 15 Aug. 2003. Brigham and Womens Organization.
<http://www.brighamandwomens.org/generalsurg/
cancer/thyroid.asp>. (11 Mar. 2004)
Cohen, Ezra E.W. “Thyroid Cancer.” 11 Jul. 2002. University of Chicago, Department of
Medicine.
<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001213.htm>. (11 Mar. 2004)
“Thyroid Cancer.” Cancer Help, UK.
<http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/specificcancers/
thyroid_cancer>. (11 Mar. 2004)