Skip to main content.
October 23rd, 2006

Thyroid Cancer

Death due to thyroid cancer is uncommon, because of the fact that thyroid cancer is usually an indolent disease, which tends to remain confined to the thyroid gland for many years. Thyroid cancer is fairly common, it accounts for about one percent of all cancers. This type of cancer usually responds well to treatment and many patients can be cured.

Thyroid cancer is a cancer of the thyroid glands, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid makes and stores hormones that help regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate at which food is converted into energy. The thyroid uses and needs iodine to make several of its hormones. Thyroid hormones also help children grow and develop.

There are four major types of thyroid cancer:

Papillary Tumors
These tumors develop in cells that produce thyroid hormones containing iodine. These cancer cells grow very slowly forming many tiny, mushroom-shaped patterns in the tumor. These tumors can be treated by doctors successfully even when the cells have spread to the nearby lymph nodes. This type of tumor accounts for about sixty percent of all thyroid cancers.

Follicular Thyroid Tumors
These tumors also develop in cells that produce iodine-containing hormones, and have a thin layer of tissue around them, called a capsule. Many follicular tumors are curable but can be difficult to control if the tumor invades blood vessels or grows through the capsule into the nearby structures of the neck.

Medullary Tumors
These tumors affect thyroid cells that produce a hormone that does not contain iodine. These tumors grow slowly but are harder to control than papillary and follicular tumors. The cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Anaplastic Tumors
These tumors are the fastest growing thyroid tumors. The cancer cells, which are extremely abnormal, spread rapidly to other parts of the body.

The most often symptom of this disease is a nodule in the thyroid region of the neck, but only five percent of these nodules are malignant. Sometimes the first sign is an enlarged lymph node. Other symptoms include hoarseness or difficulty speaking in a normal voice, swollen lymph nodes especially in the neck, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and pain in the throat or neck. However, an infection, a benign goiter, or another problem also could cause these symptoms. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible to be diagnosed and treated properly.

Surgery is the most common form of treatment for thyroid cancer that has not spread to distant parts of the body. A part or the entire thyroid and any other affected tissue, such as the lymph nodes is usually removed with this procedure. This procedure however may not be recommended when a patient is found to have thyroid cancer that has spread. Treatment usually includes some form of systematic therapy, a treatment that can kill or slow the growth of the cancer cells throughout the body, such as chemotherapy, radioactive iodine therapy, and/or hormone therapy.

Posted by admin in Health


Advice On The Latest Prostate Cancer Treatments
... not to dwell on the obvious. This is known as chemotherapy. Even with prostate cancer treatment, chemotherapy is often involved. This is scary! Or at least it is to me. I don’t really fancy the idea of poisoning my body in order to make it well. There has to be an alternative prostate cancer treatment somewhere. Well, one thing I do know is the prevention process. This is even more important in my book. If you can prevent ever acquiring prostate cancer, then you’re golden. After doing a little recon work, I came up with these reasons. One way to help prevent the on-set of prostate cancer is through tomatoes. Yes, I said tomatoes. Specifically tomato sauce. This vegetable/fruit provides essential minerals such as lycopene, which...

Deal With Colon Cancer
A team of scientists has discovered a gene that, when it stops working, causes the appearance of colon cancer in it's sporadic (noninherited) form. This discovery is predicted to create new treatments and new ways of preventing colon cancer. These Thyroid Cancer researchers found out that this particular gene can be activated again by a special medicine, increasing the vulnerability of the colon cancer. This research reconfirms that this gene, called hMLH1, has a major importance in the fight against colon cancer. More on Colon Cancer and Colon Cancer support

About Colon Cancer
Staging is a method of evaluating the progress Thyroid Cancer of colon cancer in a patient. That is, it looks at the colon cancer (tumor) and the extent to which the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once doctors know how far along the colon cancer is, they can decide on the best course of treatment. Today, the most common used system for the staging of colon cancer is the American Joint Committee on Cancer's (AJCC) TNM staging system. This staging system places patients into one of four stages (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV). More on Colon Cancer and Treatments For Colon Cancer

Breast Cancer Awareness May Change Your Life
More and more women are faced with breast cancer every day. This is why breast cancer awareness is so important to any female. Read any breast cancer information you can find so you Thyroid Cancer won't be a statistic. Important ...  Breast Cancer Awareness May Change Your Life

About Colon Cancer
Symptoms and diagnosis of colon cancer: Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, blood spots in stool or any unusual bowel related activity/uneasiness can be a symptom of colon cancer. However, these are not conclusive symptoms of colon cancer since these could be just normal digestion related problems. In any case, you should get the advice of a qualified doctor and tell him all the symptoms properly in order to facilitate fast and correct diagnosis. The doctor may prescribe certain tests/ examinations for proper diagnosis of colon cancer. More on Colon Cancer and Technology Advances For Treatments Of Colon Cancer

Breast Cancer Test
... symptoms don't usually become clear until the cancer is already in its later stages of growth. In these later stages, it is harder to treat, and it is much more likely to have spread throughout the body. So mammograms may be unpleasant, but terminal cancer is definitely worse. It's also important to develop some breast cancer tests of your own, that you can do on a regular basis in between mammograms. Thyroid Cancer As soon as you hit puberty, it's a good idea to conduct self breast cancer tests as this begins the period where your chances of getting breast cancer begin. Most cases of breast cancer are in women over 40, but there are a number of cases found in girls as young as early teens every year. Also, most people don't realize that breast cancer can also occur in men! While it's...

Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer Tragic Effects
One of my dear friends has lost his father to asbestos cancer mesothelioma. My friend’s father had undergone a lung transplant and he seemed as if he was doing well when he suddenly developed an infection. He was not able to battle the infection after everything he had just been through and he succumbed to the illness just before Christmas.

Cancer Fighting Diet - Green Tea.
While there is no disputing genetics, there are choices when it comes to our lifestyles. Staying physically fit is always a wise decision. Eating right is probably even more imperative when it comes to afflictions such as prostate Thyroid Cancer and stomach cancer. You want to get your daily vitamins and minerals, but avoid the junk that so many shove into their systems daily. High levels of sodium and saturated fat are clearly bad for us. Regarding cancer, its also been proven that high levels of calcium from dairy products are malicious as well. Steer your grocery cart more in the direction of SOY products and fresh fish. These are just the basics, but being proactive now with your diet could save your life help yourslef prevent stomach cancer and help prevent the onslought of...

Cancer Information
... also has an extensive online dictionary with definitions for various cancer terms and treatments, in addition to an in depth section on medications used in cancer treatments as well as links to more cancer drug information. Other reputable sites worth a visit are www.oncolink.com sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, www.cancersociety.com, and the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service at www.cis.nci.nih.gov. If you are looking for cancer information from more personal sources, say from real people who have cancer, then you may want to join an online chat forum or local cancer support group. A few people have even posted their experiences and thoughts on their own personal websites, and you can visit with these folks via email as well. You may just have something in common, and this could be a great way to learn more about your situation and what to expect. Other good sources of cancer information include your primary care physician or gynecologist for various types of female concerns, including breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine...

Prostate Cancer Staging
... pathologic stage is determined after surgery and will enable one to know the severity of the cancer - also, one will be able to have a better impression on how it might fair for him in the future. Prostate cancer staging systems, whichever is used, provides a general guideline on what to expect at each particular level. It describes the condition of the prostate and the cancer cells in it, the treatment that may work for your particular stage, and the prognosis for your case. With the valuable information it provides, prostate cancer staging systems will be a useful tool for both patients and doctors alike. Patients will be able to understand their current situation and the specific status of their prostate. Doctors will be able to rely on this prostate cancer staging systems to come up with the suitable approach...

Gleason Level Of Prostate Cancer
... prostate cancer cells will be almost normal, this Gleason level of prostate cancer is harder to detect. Gleason Grade 2 shows the tissue that still has well formed glands. But they would be noticeably larger and could appear a little bit swollen and have more tissue between them. At Thyroid Cancer this stage of Gleason level of prostate cancer, this is still considered early. Gleason Grade 3 may look the same as Gleason grade 2, although there would be some parts considerable darker. Under a powerful microscope or under high magnification, Gleason grade 3 will show the prostate cancer cells invade the surrounding tissues. Though still recognizable, the giveaway of this Gleason level would be the dark spots. Gleason Grade 4 is already an escalated condition of Gleason grade 3. There would yet be recognizable glands but the prostate cancer cells would already be very visible. Many of the prostate cancer...

Cancer Treatment Centers
... it on humans is warranted, clinical trials are conducted. Great results are being seen with new cancer treatments; some types of cancer that were an automatic death sentence in the past are now being treated successfully, and patients are living cancer free due to this continued research. There are cancer treatment centers that are accessible to everyone located in most metropolitan areas. Most are affiliated with large university based hospitals, and offer the latest technology available to treat various types of cancers. These types of facilities are also research based and provide a number of new treatment options to participants in various ongoing studies. If one of these larger cancer treatment centers is not within a reasonable distance, or not accessible due to other limitations, treatment can be sought through...

Cancer Nutrition
... plants are the most health-friendly. The Thyroid Cancer phytonutrients in plants will help in the prevention of diseases and aid in the recovery of those who are already inflicted. The cancer nutrition plan will make us do away with foods containing "empty" nutrients. These types of food may provide us with the best experiences on the table but will actually be harmful to our body. Thus, these food should be taken in as much as the food with real nutrients. Some experts suggest the 80:20 ratio in your cancer nutrition plan. This means that 80% of the total food intake should come from foods high in nutrients while the 20% will come from those that are not. An opposing study has made interesting headlines and created quite a stir in the medical scene. The said study claimed that a good nutrition will most probably help in cancer prevention, but it does not help fight the disease once you...

Breast Cancer Support Groups
... attend, sign up for an online breast cancer support group for answers to questions and information regarding diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes. Breast cancer research is ongoing, and there is yet to be a cure found. One of the most well known breast cancer support groups per se is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which sponsors the Race for the Cure, and raises awareness as well as funds for ongoing breast cancer research through sponsored events held across the country. For more information on Race for the Cure events and the Thyroid Cancer latest news about breast cancer research, breast cancer support groups, and treatments visit www.komen.org. Any type of cancer can be devastating, and people newly diagnosed as well as those going through...

Herbal Treatment For Prostate Cancer
... for prostate cancer. Because lycopene penetrates deep, it is the best phytochemical that can aid in reversing the malignant process. Sources: Tomatoes, grapefruits, watermelons, and guavas Saw Palmetto is also another herbal treatment for prostate cancer. Saw Palmetto works several ways, among of them includes inhibiting the 5-alpha-reductase, interfering with the DHT, and acts as a phytoestrogen. Source: Saw Palmetto plant Selenium deficiency and cancer has been shown in several studies to have links between the two. With a regular selenium supplement, an individual had sported a natural barrier for cancer. Selenium is an essential trace element and it is normally found in the prostate. Sources: Garlic, grains, shellfish, and chicken Save yourself from the dilemma of patient trade off. Submit yourself to...

Comments are closed.