Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancers are of three types. Papillary Cancer is the thyroid cancer seen most frequently. This comes from follicle cells, and looks just like a single mass on one side of the thyroid lobe. Children can have this cancer as well as adults. The outlook for recovery is usually good even in the cases of larger tumors that have developed. In cases that are not as common, this tumor type can get on into the lymph nodes. Many times even at this stage, it can be treated with radioiodine therapy.

Follicular Cancer The follicular cancer type in the thyroid tends to be more on the aggressive side. It will usually attack the older people more then papillary types would. The tumors of a follicular nature will not usually invade the area of the lymph nodes, but however, it can attack the veins and even the arteries that are connected to the thyroid. After that point, the tumors may go on into the lungs or other major organs possibly.

Medullary Cancer This type of cancer usually comes up in calcitonin-producing cells. Therefore, these tumor types are productive in making calcitonin alongside with carcinoembryonic antigen. Carcinoemybryonic antigens are productive in proteins that are made by some types of cancers. These proteins are circulated into the blood. A blood test will easily pick this up. It is possible also that the medullary cancer will get into your lymph nodes as well.



You should also understand that there are three types of medullary cancer. They are:

Sporadic These tumor types are of the most frequent medullary cancers. They seem to attack people between ages 40 to 60. These are not of a genetic type of cancer.

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia These are more of the genetiv types of thyroid cancers. They are likely to come up at an earlier age. In this group of cancers, people will also have tumors in other endocrine glands like the parathyroid gland, for instance. People that have what they call Men 2B, do have glandular tumors on the adrenal glands themselves. These Men 2B types can also come up in the tongue, eyelids, and also affect the intestinal area.

Anaplastic Carcinomas are the rare type. This cancer is deceiving since it does appear differently from thyroid tissue that is normal. It often comes out of a papillary cancer that has already existed. This cancer is very very aggressive, and will progress very rapidly. It will usually attack much of the body such as the lymph nodes, throat, bones, and on into other organs. This cancer type does not die out very well under radiation or any other therapy that they now have available. It is from my reading, very difficult to treat.

Lymphoma of the Thyroid

This type of thyroid cancer is not what happens due to the follicular cells, or even the C cells like other cancers. This cancer is of the immune system type in immune system cells known as lymphocytes. Most lymphomas start of course, within the lymph nodes. But some cancers choose to come out within organs instead.

Why do people have thyroid cancer?

As in all cancers, it has to do with cells. Cells that are healthy will do as they are supposed to in the body process, which is separate in an organized fashion repeatedly. DNA is the thing that really controls this process. But when DNA is damaged, it explains why these cells get out of control, and turn into tumors that make up a mass of cells that form cancer growth.

Sometimes in thyroid cancer, the exposure you might have had to various types of contamination may upset your cells turning up cancer. Also high radiation exposure may do this.

It is also not known by many people that this form of cancer comes from an iodine fallout 131. This is an isotope of iodine that occurs naturally in the thyroid gland.

Symptomatology of this cancer

Difficulty in swallowing and breathing problems can happen in tumors that grow very quickly.

Diarrhea may occur frequently in medullary cancer types. This is because of the affect this cancer type has on the intestines.

General Malaise, (feeling of unwellness), also accompanies the above symptoms.

Diagnosing the problem

Blood tests first of all, will the doctor a basis to go on of all of your thyroid hormones.

Ultrasounds and CT scans are best for telling your doctor much more information about where the cancer has gone to, what stage you are in, and a nuclear test referred to as an octreotide scan, tells a doctor about the metastasizing of this cancer type.

For more information, please watch this video to learn more.

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