Causes of Thyroid Cancer

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on September 05, 2024
00:00
00:00

Regarding the causes of thyroid cancer, they are similar to most malignant tumors. The etiology of thyroid cancer is currently unclear, but some factors have been found to be associated with the onset of thyroid cancer. The first factor is neck radiation; the thyroid is an endocrine organ that is sensitive to radiation, so radiation exposure may cause carcinogenic changes in thyroid cancer cells. The second factor is genetics; some thyroid cancers have a clear genetic predisposition, the most typical being medullary thyroid cancer, with about 25% of patients showing familial clustering, known as familial medullary thyroid cancer. The third factor is that the rapid increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer also has some reasons, with one recognized reason being advancements in early diagnostic methods, allowing for the easy detection of numerous early lesions. The fourth is iodine intake, which has been shown to be related to some benign diseases of the thyroid, but its relationship with thyroid cancer itself needs further study.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
59sec home-news-image

How to treat differentiated thyroid cancer

The so-called differentiated thyroid cancers include two types: papillary and follicular thyroid cancers. Their treatment methods consist of the following: First, surgical treatment is a primary treatment strategy for early-stage differentiated thyroid cancers, involving radical surgical removal. After surgery, some patients need to take medications to supplement thyroid hormones. Secondly, for patients with advanced differentiated thyroid cancers, the main comprehensive treatment measures include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Additionally, postoperative early-stage patients can also undergo treatment with Iodine-131 to monitor changes in the condition and provide internal radiation treatment to control the progression of the disease. Internal radiation treatment can be performed multiple times.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
48sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of thyroid cancer

In the early stages, most thyroid cancer patients do not exhibit obvious symptoms. A minority of patients may inadvertently find that thyroid nodules grow rapidly and these nodules have slightly limited mobility and mild pain upon palpation. Some patients with medullary thyroid cancer may experience symptoms like facial flushing early on due to abnormal hormone secretion in the body. Additionally, clinical symptoms are not commonly seen in the early stages of thyroid cancer. Only as the disease progresses can symptoms such as neck lumps from regional lymph node metastasis, as well as distant spread, cause clinical symptoms like neck swelling, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
1min 2sec home-news-image

Late-stage symptoms of thyroid cancer

Differentiated thyroid cancer, in its advanced stages, can exhibit noticeable symptoms due to large nodules or invasion of surrounding organs. For example, a massive nodule pressing on the trachea can cause breathing difficulties, including respiratory distress. Compression of the esophagus can lead to swallowing difficulties, and pressure on the recurrent laryngeal nerve may result in symptoms like hoarseness. Even very few benign thyroid nodules can cause edema and inflammation by compressing these nerves. Therefore, differentiation and distinctive treatment are essential, along with a pathological diagnosis. Medullary thyroid cancer also presents specific symptoms, including persistent diarrhea, endocrine syndromes, and other accompanying conditions such as pheochromocytoma, multiple mucosal neuromas, and symptoms and signs caused by parathyroid adenomas.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
1min 4sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of thyroid cancer

Differentiated thyroid cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages, with only incidental palpation of nodules of various sizes and textures on the front of the neck. Some patients may find abnormalities during routine physical examinations through imaging studies, and symptoms may appear only in the later stages. The second point concerns the characteristics of medullary thyroid cancer, which exhibits specific symptoms early on, such as persistent, watery diarrhea. Additionally, this cancer involves an endocrine syndrome, where tumor cells secrete calcitonin and adrenocorticotropic hormone, potentially leading to facial flushing, elevated blood pressure, and reduced blood calcium. This may be associated with other conditions such as pheochromocytoma, multiple mucosal neuromas, and parathyroid adenomas, which can also cause corresponding symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
57sec home-news-image

Thyroid cancer ultrasound manifestations

The characteristics of ultrasonography for thyroid cancer include the tumor being a solid hypoechoic mass with unclear boundaries, uneven internal echoes, abundant internal blood flow, and the presence of sandy calcifications and longitudinal growth, among others. Currently, ultrasonography is the preferred method for examining thyroid nodules. It can clearly identify the number, nature, and location of thyroid nodules, as well as whether there are any abnormally enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. Ultrasonography is highly accurate in differentiating the nature of thyroid nodules, with experienced ultrasonographers reaching an accuracy rate of over 80%. However, the highest accuracy in differentiating the nature of thyroid nodules is still achieved with fine-needle aspiration cytology.