Thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is not in the United States. About 37,000 people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Thyroid cancer rates seem to rise, the doctors think may be based on new technology that allows them to small tumors of the thyroid gland that are not found before.

Symptoms
Thyroid cancer usually does not cause any signs or symptoms early in the disease. How thyroid cancer grows, it can lead to:

■ A lump, which is noticeable through the skin on the neck
■ Changes in your voice, including increasing hoarseness
■ difficulty swallowing
■ pain in the neck and throat
■ Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
If a doctor to see
If you have any signs or symptoms that you are afraid to make an appointment with your doctor. Thyroid cancer is not common, so your doctor may be other causes of your complaints and symptoms first.

Causes
It is not clear what causes thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer occurs when cells in the thyroid undergo genetic changes (mutations). The mutations may be the cells grow and multiply rapidly. The cells lose the ability to die as normal cells would. The accumulation of abnormal thyroid cells form a tumor. The abnormal cells can invade nearby tissues and can relax in the whole body.

Types of thyroid cancer
The type of thyroid cancer determines treatment and prognosis. Types of thyroid cancer are:

■ Papillary thyroid cancer. The nature of the Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common, accounting for about 80 percent of all thyroid cancers diagnosed. Papillary thyroid cancer can occur at any age but is most commonly diagnosed in people age between 30 and 50
■ Follicular thyroid cancer. Follicular thyroid cancer and Hurthle cell cancer. Follicular thyroid cancer typically occurs in people older than 50th
■ Medullary thyroid cancer. Medullary thyroid cancer can be inherited genetic syndromes, the tumors in other glands. Most medullary thyroid cancer are sporadic, meaning they are not associated with inherited genetic syndromes.
■ Anaplastic thyroid cancer. The nature of anaplastic thyroid cancer is very rare, aggressive and very difficult to treat. Anaplastic thyroid cancer typically occurs at the age of 60 years or older people.
■ Thyroid Lymphoma. Thyroid lymphoma starts the immune system cells in the thyroid. Thyroid lymphoma is very rare. It occurs mostly in adults age 70 or older.
Risk Factors
Factors that increase the risk of thyroid cancer are:

■ exposure to high radiation. Examples of a high level of radiation those resulting from the irradiation of head and neck and from fallout from nuclear accidents or weapons testing.
■ Personal or family goiter. Goiter is a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid.
■ Some inherited genetic syndromes. Genetic syndromes that increase the risk of thyroid cancer are familial medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia and familial adenomatous polyposis.
Complications
Thyroid cancer that re -
Despite treatment, thyroid cancer can return, even if you have your thyroid removed. This could happen if microscopic cancer cells on the thyroid gland, before it is removed. Thyroid cancer can recur decades after the thyroid cancer treatment.

Thyroid cancer most common in again:

■ lymph nodes in the neck
■ small thyroid tissue left behind during surgery
■ other areas of the body – usually the lungs or the bone
Thyroid cancer that can be treated again. Your doctor may recommend regular blood tests or thyroid scans to check whether signs of thyroid cancer recurrence.

Preparing for your appointment
If you suspect thyroid cancer, you’re likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or general practitioner. If your doctor suspects you can create a thyroid problem, you may be referred to a doctor specializes in diseases of the endocrine system (endocrinologist).

Because appointments can be brief, and there is often a lot of ground to cover, it is a good idea, well prepared for your order. Here are some details to help you for your order, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

■ Obey all restrictions on futures. At the time you order, make sure to ask if it everything you need to do in advance how your diet.
■ Write down any symptoms you have, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
■ Write down key personal information, including all major stresses or recent changes.
■ Make a list of all medications and vitamins or supplements that you need.
■ Take a family member or friend, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to get all the information received during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember that you missed something or have forgotten it.
■ Write down questions, contact your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time together. Your most important questions from the least important in case time runs out. For thyroid cancer, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

■ What type of thyroid cancer do I have?
■ How much is my thyroid cancer?
■ What treatment do you recommend?
■ What are the benefits and risks of the treatment option?
■ Can I work and my work during the treatment of thyroid cancer?
■ Do I have a second opinion?
■ Should I have a doctor who specializes in diseases of the thyroid? What will it cost and will my insurance that?
■ How long do I need to make a decision about thyroid cancer treatment? Can I take some time to see all my options?
■ Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can with me? Which websites do you recommend?
In addition to the questions you prepared to ask your doctor, do not hesitate to ask questions during your order at any time that you do not understand something.

Tests and diagnosis 

Tests and procedures for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer are:

■ A physical examination of the sense of the neck of the thyroid lump and lymph node swelling
■ Blood tests, including a test to measure the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your body
■ Needle biopsy to cells of the thyroid and to examine them with a microscope to look for cancer
■ Imaging tests such as ultrasound of the neck, for an enlarged lymph nodes
Treatments and drugs
Your thyroid cancer treatment options depend on the type and stage of your thyroid cancer, your general health and your preferences.

Surgery
Most people with thyroid cancer surgery, all or most of the thyroid. Surgery to treat thyroid cancer include:

■ removal of all or most of the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy). Surgery to remove the entire thyroid gland is the most common treatment for thyroid cancer. In most cases, the surgeon from small rim of the thyroid tissue around the parathyroid glands to reduce the risk of parathyroid damage. Sometimes surgeons in this than near total thyroidectomy.
■ Removing the lymph nodes in the neck. If your thyroid gland, the surgeon may also remove the enlarged lymph nodes from the neck and test it for cancer cells.
Thyroid surgery is through an incision in the skin at the base of your neck. Thyroid surgery carries the risk of bleeding and infection. Damage may occur to your parathyroid glands during surgery, so that low calcium levels in the body. There is also a risk of damaging the nerves to your vocal cords, which can cause VOCAL CORD paralysis, hoarseness, gentle voice, or difficulty breathing.

Thyroid hormone therapy
After thyroid cancer surgery, you can use the thyroid hormone medication levothyroxine (Levothroid, Synthroid, etc.) for life. This has two advantages: It supplies the missing hormone your thyroid gland usually produces, and it suppresses the production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the pituitary gland. High TSH levels could be any remaining cancer cells to grow.

You probably have blood tests for your thyroid hormone levels every few months until your doctor finds the right dose for you.

Radioactive iodine
Radioactive iodine treatment uses high doses of a form of iodine that radioactive. Radioactive iodine treatment is often after thyroidectomy to kill all the remaining healthy tissue of the thyroid, as well as microscopic spheres of thyroid cancer that are not removed during the operation. Radioactive iodine treatment can also be used to treat thyroid cancer returns, that after treatment or spread to other areas of the body.

Radioactive iodine treatment is used as a capsule or liquid that you swallow. The radioactive iodine is used mainly by the cells of the thyroid and thyroid cancer cells, there is a low risk of interference from other cells in your body.

Side effects include:

■ Nausea
■ dry mouth
■ Dry Eyes
■ Altered sense of taste or smell
■ pain, where thyroid cancer cells have spread, such as the throat or chest
Most of the radioactive iodine leaves your body in urine within the first days after treatment. During this time you must use the precautionary measures to protect other people from the radiation. For example, you may be asked to temporarily avoid close contact with other people, especially children and pregnant women.

External radiotherapy
Radiation therapy may also be adjusted externally with a machine with the aim of high energy beams to precise points on your body. Called external beam radiotherapy, this treatment is usually administered a few minutes at a time, five days per week, over several weeks. During the treatment, you lie still on a table while a machine moves around you.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment, the chemicals to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is usually as an infusion into a vein. The chemicals travel through the body to kill rapidly growing cells, including cancer cells.

Clinical studies
Clinical trials are studies of new cancer therapies or new ways of using existing applications. Enrollment in a clinical trial will give you the opportunity, the latest in cancer treatment, clinical trials, but can not guarantee a cure. Ask your doctor whether you may be entitled, in a clinical study. Together you can about the benefits and risks of a process and decide whether to participate in a clinical trial is right for you.

Coping and support
The diagnosis of cancer of the thyroid can be frightening and overwhelming. You may feel as if you are not sure what to do next. And you might ask what your diagnosis means for your future.

Everyone eventually finds his own way to cope with a cancer diagnosis. , Until you find what works for you, check to:

■ Find out all you can about the thyroid cancer. Write down all the details of your thyroid cancer, such as the nature, timing and treatment options. Ask your doctor if you are interested in more information. Good sources of information to get you started, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.
■ Connect with other thyroid cancer survivors. Perhaps you can find comfort in conversations with people in your same situation. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. Or connect with thyroid cancer survivors online at the American Cancer Society or the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association.
■ check what you are about your health. You can not control whether you thyroid cancer to develop, but you can take steps to make the body healthy to keep, during and after treatment. For example, eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, plenty of sleep every night, so that you feel rested, and try to make physical activity most days of the week.
Prevention
Doctors are not sure what causes most cases of thyroid cancer, there is no way to prevent thyroid cancer in people who have an average risk of the disease.

Prevention for people with a high risk
People with an inherited gene mutation increases the risk of thyroid cancer, may be thyroid surgery to prevent cancer (prophylactic thyroidectomy). Discuss your options with a genetic consultants who can explain the risk of thyroid cancer and treatment options.

Prevention for people in the vicinity of nuclear power
Fallout from an accident at a nuclear plant could cause cancer in the thyroid in the vicinity of living humans. If you are within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant in the United States, you may be entitled to a medication (potassium), the effect of radiation on the thyroid. If an emergency were to occur, you and your family could be the potassium iodide tablets to prevent thyroid cancer. Contact your local emergency department for further information.