Cancer in the thyroid gland is relatively common and is generally asymptomatic, so the way in which it can be evidenced is at the time of performing a physical examination to identify any anomaly.
It is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the thyroid gland, which is located at the base of the throat and is shaped like a butterfly. “There really is no single factor for the development of this disease. There are no established genetic factors for it to occur, they are basically alterations of the cellular information that generates the activation of these cancers”, specifies Dr. Edgard Nessim Dayan, a specialist in endocrinology and internal medicine at our Institution.
Types of cancer
- Well-differentiated thyroid cancer (papillary and follicular). They are the most common, they come from follicular cells. It is not very aggressive and 95% of patients who suffer from it have a chance of being cured.
- medullary cancer. It is not that common and has a connotation that may be genetic.
- anaplastic cancer. It is less common. It is aggressive and its chance of recovery is low.
Malignant thyroid nodules generally do not have symptoms, “they are identified when palpation is performed in the neck and we find the presence of a nodule, which is studied by means of an ultrasound and established through a classification if it is due or not to puncture, which helps us to determine if this nodule has a cellular alteration that indicates cancer”, specifies doctor Nessim, who also reiterates that the presence of nodules in the thyroid is not a sign of cancer, “95% of them are benign”.
What organs does it affect?
It is rare for a thyroid nodule to affect the vocal cords or the laryngeal nerve, however, as the specialist explains, if the nodule is close to the aforementioned nerve, some involvement may occur. It is more common for it to affect the lymph nodes in the neck that are close to the nodule.
What treatment should be followed?
For our specialist, in the event that the malignant nodule is more than one centimeter, surgery is performed, where the affected lobe or the complete thyroid will be removed and medical treatment will continue. “It is necessary to be under medical control, in case the thyroid has been removed, continue with the treatment and care of the surgery, in addition to maintaining good eating habits, sleep and physical activity,” says Dr. Nessim Dayan.
At Clínica Grupo Quirónsalud we have a medical group specialized in endocrinology, which has the knowledge and expertise to treat diseases that are related to metabolism and hormone disorders.