Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is usually a very slow growing cancer with an excellent prognosis. It tends to occur in younger patients and usually presents as a lump in the neck or thyroid.

There are four main types of thyroid cancer:

Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC)

• Most common.
• Usually younger patients.
• Often multifocal.
• Can spread to lymph nodes.
• Excellent prognosis.

Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC)

• Usually older patients than PTC.
• Common.
• Can spread via the blood.
• Good prognosis.

Medullary

• Uncommon.
• Often associated with genetic endocrine disorders (MEN syndrome).
• Poor prognosis (if not treated early and inadequate excision)

Anaplastic

• Extremely rare.
• Extremely dangerous.
• Survival often < 12 months.

Thyroid cancer is usually diagnosed with an FNA (Papillary Thyroid Cancer), which results in the need for a Total Thyroidectomy (complete excision of the gland). However on some occasions the FNA may reveal indeterminate results which may indicate a possible but not definite cancer. This will often lead to the need for a hemithyroidectomy (half of the thyroid to be removed) containing the nodule at question. This will enable a formal histological diagnosis to be gained. On some occasions this may result in the need for a subsequent second operation to remove the remaining side of the thyroid if the nodule is cancerous.