Follicular thyroid cancer (patient information): Difference between revisions
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{{Follicular thyroid cancer (patient information)}} | {{Follicular thyroid cancer (patient information)}} | ||
{{CMG}}; {{AE}} {{Ammu}} | {{CMG}}; {{AE}} {{Ammu}} | ||
'''For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click [[Follicular thyroid cancer|here]]''' | '''For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click [[Follicular thyroid cancer|here]]''' | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck which makes hormones to help the body work normally. Follicular thyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the thyroid gland. Follicular thyroid cancer doesn't have any early symptoms. With the development of | Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped [[gland]] in the neck which makes [[hormones]] to help the body work normally. Follicular thyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the [[thyroid gland]]. Follicular thyroid cancer doesn't have any early [[symptoms]]. With the development of the [[cancer]], usual [[symptoms]] include a [[lump]] that can be felt through the skin on your neck, [[hoarseness]], [[difficulty swallowing]], [[pain]] in the neck and [[throat]] and [[swollen lymph nodes]] in the neck. Treatments include [[surgery]], [[radiation therapy]], [[chemotherapy]], [[thyroid hormone]] therapy or a combination of them. | ||
==What are the symptoms of follicular thyroid cancer?== | ==What are the symptoms of follicular thyroid cancer?== | ||
Early follicular thyroid cancer does not have any symptoms. As the tumor grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms: | * Early follicular thyroid cancer does not have any [[symptoms]]. As the [[tumor]] grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following [[symptoms]]: | ||
:*A nodule, [[lump]], or swelling in the neck | :*A nodule, [[lump]], or swelling in the neck | ||
:*[[Pain]] in the front of the neck | :*[[Pain]] in the front of the neck | ||
:*[[Hoarseness]] or other voice changes | :*[[Hoarseness]] or other [[voice]] changes | ||
:*Trouble swallowing | :*[[Difficulty swallowing|Trouble swallowing]] | ||
:*Breathing problems | :*[[Dyspnea|Breathing problems]] | ||
:*Continuous [[cough]] | :*Continuous [[cough]] | ||
* A person with any of these [[symptoms]] should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. | |||
* [[Diseases]] with similar [[symptoms]] are listed in the following: | |||
:*[[Multinodular goiter|Nodular goiter]] | |||
Diseases with similar symptoms are listed in the following: | |||
:*[[Nodular goiter]] | |||
:*[[Thyroid adenoma]] | :*[[Thyroid adenoma]] | ||
:*[[Thyroid cysts]] | :*[[Thyroid]] [[cysts]] | ||
:*[[ | :*Chronic [[thyroiditis]] | ||
==What causes follicular thyroid cancer?== | ==What causes follicular thyroid cancer?== | ||
People who have had radiation therapy to the neck are at higher risk. | *People who have had [[radiation]] therapy to the neck are at higher risk. | ||
*People who received [[radiation]] therapy as children are at increased risk of developing follicular thyroid cancer. | |||
*Other [[risk factors]] are a [[family history]] of follicular thyroid cancer and chronic [[goiter]]. | |||
Other risk factors are a family history of follicular thyroid cancer and chronic goiter. | |||
==Who is at highest risk?== | ==Who is at highest risk?== | ||
Clinical data have suggested that the development of follicular thyroid cancer is related to several factors. | Clinical data have suggested that the development of follicular thyroid cancer is related to several factors. | ||
:*A diet low in [[iodine]]: Clinical survey shows follicular thyroid cancers are more common in areas where people's diets are low in [[iodine]]. | |||
:*A diet low in iodine: Clinical survey | :*[[[Radiation]]: Scientists have proven that [[radiation]] exposure is a [[risk factor]] for follicular thyroid cancer. Such [[radiation]] includes medical treatments and [[radiation\\ fallout from power plant accidents or nuclear weapons. | ||
:*Radiation: Scientists | :*[[Hereditary]] [[conditions]]: Studies show people with certain inherited medical conditions such as [[Gardner syndrome]], [[Cowden disease]], and [[familial adenomatous polyposis]] (FAP) are at higher risk of developing follicular thyroid cancer. | ||
:*Hereditary conditions: Studies show people with certain inherited medical conditions such as Gardner syndrome, Cowden disease, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are at higher risk of developing follicular thyroid cancer. | |||
:*Gender: Contrary to other cancers, follicular thyroid cancers occur more often in women than in men. | :*Gender: Contrary to other cancers, follicular thyroid cancers occur more often in women than in men. | ||
:*Age: Clinical data show that papillary and follicular thyroid cancer are usually found in people between the ages of 20 and 60 years. | :*Age: Clinical data show that papillary and follicular thyroid cancer are usually found in people between the ages of 20 and 60 years. | ||
==Diagnosis== | ==Diagnosis== | ||
Your doctor will perform a physical exam. This may reveal a lump in the thyroid, or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. | Your doctor will perform a [[physical exam]]. This may reveal a [[lump]] in the [[thyroid]], or [[swollen lymph nodes]] in the [[neck]]. | ||
The following tests may be done: | The following tests may be done: | ||
*[[Calitonin]] blood test to check for [[Medullary thyroid cancer|medullary cancer]] | |||
* | *[[Thyroglobulin]] blood test to check for papillary or follicular cancer | ||
* Thyroglobulin blood test to check for papillary or follicular cancer | *[[Laryngoscopy]] | ||
* Laryngoscopy | *[[Thyroid]] [[biopsy]] | ||
* Thyroid biopsy | *[[Thyroid]] [[scan]] | ||
* Thyroid scan | *[[Ultrasound]] of the [[thyroid]] | ||
* Ultrasound of the thyroid | * This [[disease]] may also affect the results of the following [[thyroid function tests]]: | ||
*[[T3]] | |||
This disease may also affect the results of the following thyroid function tests: | *[[T4]] | ||
*[[TSH]] | |||
* T3 | |||
* T4 | |||
* TSH | |||
==When to seek urgent medical care?== | ==When to seek urgent medical care?== | ||
Call your health care provider if symptoms of thyroid cancer develop. | Call your health care provider if [[symptoms]] of thyroid cancer develop. | ||
==Treatment options== | ==Treatment options== | ||
In order to diagnose | In order to [[diagnose]] medullary thyroid cancer, your doctor may suggest the following tests: | ||
:*[[ | :*[[Thyroid hormones]] tests: [[Thyroid hormones]] including [[T3]], [[T4]], FT3, FT4 and [[TSH]] ([[thyroid-stimulating hormone]]) are needed to assess [[thyroid gland]] function. | ||
:*[[ | :*[[Fine needle aspiration]] [[biopsy]]: The doctor places a thin, hollow needle directly into the [[nodule]] to take out [[cells]] and repeats twice or three times to receive samples from several areas of the [[nodule]]. Then these [[cells]] can be checked under a microscope to see whether [[cancerous]] or [[benign]]. | ||
:*[[ | :*Thyroid gland radio-iodine scan: During this test, the doctors put substances with small amounts of [[radiation]] into your body and detect the location of the substances. The test can help locate abnormal [[cells]] in the body. | ||
:* | :*[[Computed tomography]] ([[CT scan]]) and [[biopsy]]: [[CT scans]] are often used to [[diagnose]] medullary thyroid cancer. It can help determine the location and size of medullary thyroid cancer and whether they have spread to nearby or distant areas. These are helpful for identifying the stage of [[cancer]] and in determining whether [[surgery]] is a good treatment option. [[CT scans]] can also be used to guide [[biopsy]] and a biopsy sample is usually removed and looked at under a microscope. | ||
:*[[Magnetic resonance imaging]] ([[MRI]]): An [[MRI]] uses magnetic fields but it is a different type of image than what is produced by [[computed tomography]] ([[CT]]) and produces very detailed images of [[Soft tissue|soft tissues]] such as the [[thyroid gland]]. Like [[computed tomography]] ([[CT]]), a [[contrast]] agent may be injected into a patient’s vein to create a better picture. | |||
:*[[Positron emission tomography]] ([[PET]]) scan: When doing this test, a small amount of a [[radioactive]] medium is injected into your body and absorbed by the organs or [[tissues]]. This [[radioactive]] substance gives off energy which in turn is used to produce the images. [[PET]] can provide more helpful information than either [[CT]] or [[MRI]] scans. It is useful to see if [[cancer]] has spread to the [[lymph nodes]] and it is also useful for your doctor to locate where [[cancer]] has spread. | |||
* [[Patients]] with medullary thyroid cancer have many treatment options. The selection depends on the stage of the [[tumor]]. The options are [[surgery]], [[radiation]] therapy, [[chemotherapy]], [[thyroid hormone]] treatment, or a combination of these methods. Before treatment starts, ask your health care team about possible [[side effects]] and how treatment may change your normal activities. Because [[cancer]] treatments often damage healthy [[cells]] and [[tissues]], [[side effects]] are common. [[Side effects]] may not be the same for each person, and they may change from one treatment session to the next. | |||
:*[[Surgery]]: [[Surgery]] is the main treatment for medullary thyroid cancer. Usually, [[Thyroidectomy|surgery of removing the tumor]] and all or part of the remaining [[thyroid gland]] is recommended. | |||
:*[[Radiation therapy]]: It includes [[radioactive]] [[Iodine]] ([[Radioiodine]]) therapy and [[external beam radiation therapy]]. [[Radioactive iodine]] (RAI) known as I-131 can be taken into the body to destroy the [[thyroid gland]] and any other thyroid cells including cancer cells. During [[external beam radiation therapy]], the doctors use high-energy rays to destroy [[cancer]] cells or slow their rate of growth. | |||
:*[[Chemotherapy]]: [[Chemotherapy]] is seldom helpful for most types of medullary thyroid cancer. | |||
:*[[Thyroid hormone]] therapy: This treatment is to take daily pills of [[thyroid hormone]]. The aim is to help maintain the body's normal [[metabolism]] (by replacing missing [[thyroid hormone]]) and prevent some [[thyroid cancers]] from returning. | |||
===Medications to avoid=== | ===Medications to avoid=== | ||
{{MedCondContrPI | {{MedCondContrPI | ||
|MedCond =thyroid cancer|Liraglutide}} | |MedCond =thyroid cancer|Liraglutide}} | ||
| Line 95: | Line 70: | ||
==Prevention of Follicular Thyroid Cancer== | ==Prevention of Follicular Thyroid Cancer== | ||
:*Avoidance of diets low in iodine | * The reasons for the development of follicular thyroid cancer are not clear. | ||
:*Avoidance of radiation exposure | |||
* [[Epidemiological]] data show the following may be helpful: | |||
:*Avoidance of diets low in [[iodine]] | |||
:*Avoidance of [[radiation exposure]] | |||
==What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?== | ==What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?== | ||
The prognosis of follicular thyroid cancer depends on the following: | The [[prognosis]] of follicular thyroid cancer depends on the following: | ||
:*The stage of the cancer: the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread outside the thyroid gland | :*The stage of the cancer: the size of the [[tumor]], whether the [[cancer]] has spread outside the [[thyroid gland]] | ||
:*Whether or not the tumor can be removed by surgery | :*Whether or not the [[tumor]] can be removed by [[surgery]] | ||
:*The | :*The [[patient]]’s general health | ||
==Possible complications== | ==Possible complications== | ||
*Injury to the voice box and hoarseness after | *Injury to the [[voice]] box and hoarseness after [[thyroid]] [[surgery]] | ||
*Low calcium levels from accidental removal of the parathyroid glands during surgery | *Low [[calcium]] levels from accidental removal of the [[parathyroid glands]] during [[surgery]] | ||
*Spread of the cancer to the lungs, bones, or other parts of the body | *[[Metastasis|Spread of the cancer]] to the [[lungs]], [[bones]], or other parts of the body | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
| Line 119: | Line 98: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist|2}} | {{reflist|2}} | ||
{{WH}} | |||
{{WS}} | |||
[[Category:Patient information]] | [[Category:Patient information]] | ||
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[[Category:Otolaryngology]] | [[Category:Otolaryngology]] | ||
[[Category:Types of cancer]] | [[Category:Types of cancer]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Up-To-Date]] | ||
[[Category:Oncology]] | |||
[[Category:Medicine]] | |||
[[Category:Surgery]] | |||
Latest revision as of 21:46, 29 July 2020
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Follicular thyroid cancer |
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Follicular thyroid cancer On the Web |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Follicular thyroid cancer |
Template:WikiDoc Sources
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ammu Susheela, M.D. [2]
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Overview
Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck which makes hormones to help the body work normally. Follicular thyroid cancer is a cancer that starts in the thyroid gland. Follicular thyroid cancer doesn't have any early symptoms. With the development of the cancer, usual symptoms include a lump that can be felt through the skin on your neck, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, pain in the neck and throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, thyroid hormone therapy or a combination of them.
What are the symptoms of follicular thyroid cancer?
- Early follicular thyroid cancer does not have any symptoms. As the tumor grows larger, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- A nodule, lump, or swelling in the neck
- Pain in the front of the neck
- Hoarseness or other voice changes
- Trouble swallowing
- Breathing problems
- Continuous cough
- A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
- Diseases with similar symptoms are listed in the following:
What causes follicular thyroid cancer?
- People who have had radiation therapy to the neck are at higher risk.
- People who received radiation therapy as children are at increased risk of developing follicular thyroid cancer.
- Other risk factors are a family history of follicular thyroid cancer and chronic goiter.
Who is at highest risk?
Clinical data have suggested that the development of follicular thyroid cancer is related to several factors.
- A diet low in iodine: Clinical survey shows follicular thyroid cancers are more common in areas where people's diets are low in iodine.
- [[[Radiation]]: Scientists have proven that radiation exposure is a risk factor for follicular thyroid cancer. Such radiation includes medical treatments and [[radiation\\ fallout from power plant accidents or nuclear weapons.
- Hereditary conditions: Studies show people with certain inherited medical conditions such as Gardner syndrome, Cowden disease, and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are at higher risk of developing follicular thyroid cancer.
- Gender: Contrary to other cancers, follicular thyroid cancers occur more often in women than in men.
- Age: Clinical data show that papillary and follicular thyroid cancer are usually found in people between the ages of 20 and 60 years.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will perform a physical exam. This may reveal a lump in the thyroid, or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The following tests may be done:
- Calitonin blood test to check for medullary cancer
- Thyroglobulin blood test to check for papillary or follicular cancer
- Laryngoscopy
- Thyroid biopsy
- Thyroid scan
- Ultrasound of the thyroid
- This disease may also affect the results of the following thyroid function tests:
- T3
- T4
- TSH
When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if symptoms of thyroid cancer develop.
Treatment options
In order to diagnose medullary thyroid cancer, your doctor may suggest the following tests:
- Thyroid hormones tests: Thyroid hormones including T3, T4, FT3, FT4 and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) are needed to assess thyroid gland function.
- Fine needle aspiration biopsy: The doctor places a thin, hollow needle directly into the nodule to take out cells and repeats twice or three times to receive samples from several areas of the nodule. Then these cells can be checked under a microscope to see whether cancerous or benign.
- Thyroid gland radio-iodine scan: During this test, the doctors put substances with small amounts of radiation into your body and detect the location of the substances. The test can help locate abnormal cells in the body.
- Computed tomography (CT scan) and biopsy: CT scans are often used to diagnose medullary thyroid cancer. It can help determine the location and size of medullary thyroid cancer and whether they have spread to nearby or distant areas. These are helpful for identifying the stage of cancer and in determining whether surgery is a good treatment option. CT scans can also be used to guide biopsy and a biopsy sample is usually removed and looked at under a microscope.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI uses magnetic fields but it is a different type of image than what is produced by computed tomography (CT) and produces very detailed images of soft tissues such as the thyroid gland. Like computed tomography (CT), a contrast agent may be injected into a patient’s vein to create a better picture.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan: When doing this test, a small amount of a radioactive medium is injected into your body and absorbed by the organs or tissues. This radioactive substance gives off energy which in turn is used to produce the images. PET can provide more helpful information than either CT or MRI scans. It is useful to see if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and it is also useful for your doctor to locate where cancer has spread.
- Patients with medullary thyroid cancer have many treatment options. The selection depends on the stage of the tumor. The options are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, thyroid hormone treatment, or a combination of these methods. Before treatment starts, ask your health care team about possible side effects and how treatment may change your normal activities. Because cancer treatments often damage healthy cells and tissues, side effects are common. Side effects may not be the same for each person, and they may change from one treatment session to the next.
- Surgery: Surgery is the main treatment for medullary thyroid cancer. Usually, surgery of removing the tumor and all or part of the remaining thyroid gland is recommended.
- Radiation therapy: It includes radioactive Iodine (Radioiodine) therapy and external beam radiation therapy. Radioactive iodine (RAI) known as I-131 can be taken into the body to destroy the thyroid gland and any other thyroid cells including cancer cells. During external beam radiation therapy, the doctors use high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells or slow their rate of growth.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is seldom helpful for most types of medullary thyroid cancer.
- Thyroid hormone therapy: This treatment is to take daily pills of thyroid hormone. The aim is to help maintain the body's normal metabolism (by replacing missing thyroid hormone) and prevent some thyroid cancers from returning.
Medications to avoid
Patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer should avoid using the following medications:
- Liraglutide
If you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, consult your physician before starting or stopping any of these medications.
Where to find medical care for follicular thyroid cancer?
Directions to Hospitals Treating thyroid cancer
Prevention of Follicular Thyroid Cancer
- The reasons for the development of follicular thyroid cancer are not clear.
- Epidemiological data show the following may be helpful:
- Avoidance of diets low in iodine
- Avoidance of radiation exposure
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
The prognosis of follicular thyroid cancer depends on the following:
Possible complications
- Injury to the voice box and hoarseness after thyroid surgery
- Low calcium levels from accidental removal of the parathyroid glands during surgery
- Spread of the cancer to the lungs, bones, or other parts of the body
Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001213.htm http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/thyroidcancer.html