Thyroid Cancer - Treatments, Symptoms, Causes

Thyroid Cancer - Treatments, Symptoms, Causes

The thyroid gland is an organ located in the front of the neck under the thyroid cartilage and has an endocrine function. The thyroid, which consists of two lobes on the right and the left, and the isthmus (canal) connecting them, is in the shape of a butterfly.

The thyroid gland consists of 2 main types of cells:

  • Follicular cells regulate the entire metabolism of the body with the hormone they produce using iodine. Excess thyroid hormone secretion (hyperthyroidism) can cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, insomnia, irritability, hunger, weight loss, and hot flashes. Conversely, if the thyroid hormone is underactive (hypothyroidism), movements slow down, leading to fatigue and weight gain. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, regulates how much thyroid hormone is secreted.
  • C cells (parafollicular cells) produce calcitonin, which controls the body's use of calcium. In addition, immune system cells (lymphocytes) and support (stromal) cells are other less common types of cells found in the thyroid gland. Different cancers develop in each cell type of the thyroid gland. These differences are important as they affect the spread and treatment of cancer.

What are malignant thyroid tumors?

Swelling or nodule in the thyroid gland may be a sign of thyroid cancer. However, in order to reach a definite conclusion, the necessary tests should be done and the sample taken from the suspicious area should be examined in a laboratory environment. There are 4 different types of thyroid cancer based on their cell structure, appearance and types. These are called papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Causes of thyroid cancer – what are the risk factors?

Anything that changes the chance of getting the disease is a risk factor for us. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the risk factors that have an effect on cancer by paying attention to our lifestyle, habits, and all the environmental factors we are exposed to. Some risk factors, such as smoking and using alcohol, are habits we acquire in life and can be changed. There are also some risk factors, such as a person's age and family history, that cannot be changed. On the other hand, just because you are at risk does not mean you will get cancer. Or it can be said that it is possible to have cancer without any risk factors. For this reason, it is important to know the causative risk factors in thyroid cancers. In this way, you can reduce the risk by making small changes in your life. If you have some risk factors related to thyroid cancer, you should not neglect your routine check-ups at frequent intervals. Thus, you can have the opportunity of early diagnosis and effective treatment in cancer.

What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?

  • The symptoms play an important role in the early diagnosis of many thyroid cancers.
  • Swelling in the neck or a fast-growing lump
  • pain in the front of the neck and sometimes from the neck to the ears,
  • hoarseness,
  • difficulty swallowing,
  • persistent cough,
  • Shortness of breath is a common symptom of thyroid cancer.

However, it is not correct to directly associate these symptoms with thyroid cancer. Other non-serious health problems can also cause such symptoms. In this case, your duty is to consult a specialist doctor without wasting time. In this way, it will be possible to quickly find a solution to the health problem that is detected early.

How is thyroid cancer treated?

The first treatment method used in thyroid cancer is surgery. Radiation therapy and hormone therapy after surgery are other effective treatment modalities in thyroid cancer.

Most thyroid cancers that have not spread to distant parts of the body can be completely cured with surgery. By removing all or almost all of the thyroid gland where the cancer is located, the spread and risk of recurrence of the disease will be prevented. However, while the thyroid gland is completely removed, it is important to protect the nerves that go to the vocal cords and the parathyroid glands, which are located behind the throat and secrete the hormone that regulates the calcium level in the blood.

With the radioactive iodine treatment applied after the surgery, it is aimed to destroy the possible cancer remaining after the surgery. In addition, as a result of surgical removal of the thyroid gland, the patient cannot produce thyroid hormone. In this case, thyroid hormone therapy will be administered to the patient to compensate for the hormone loss.

Chemotherapy is not a very effective treatment for most types of thyroid cancer. It is rarely used in conjunction with external radiotherapy in the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Sometimes it is a method used in advanced stage thyroid cancers that do not respond to other cancer treatments.

Targeted therapies such as Sorafenib (Neksavar®) and Lenvatinib (Lenvima®), which are called smart therapy, are used to stop the development of the disease in papillary and follicular thyroid cancers that do not respond to radioactive iodine therapy. In this area, Lenvatinib received FDA (American Food and Drug Administration) approval on February 13, 2015.