Is thyroid swelling malignancy the same as thyroid cancer?

Written by Gan Jun

Endocrinology

Updated on September 23, 2024

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Thyroid malignancy refers to thyroid cancer, but even malignant thyroid cancer generally has a good prognosis. However, it is crucial to achieve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. It is advised to promptly visit a thyroid specialty department for comprehensive examinations, including thyroid ultrasound, evaluation of thyroid function, and related thyroid antibodies. A fine needle aspiration biopsy should be conducted for a clear pathological diagnosis, followed by immediate active treatment, primarily surgical. Thyroid cancer includes papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and undifferentiated cancer. The surgery mainly involves minimally invasive and traditional methods. Post-surgery, it is recommended to perform lymph node dissection, assess the extent of metastasis, and decide whether to proceed with Iodine-131 radiotherapy. Due to the loss of thyroid function, proactive thyroid hormone replacement therapy is advised, along with dynamic monitoring of thyroid health through ultrasound and related examinations.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 16sec

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How is thyroid cancer diagnosed?

The first point is the diagnostic process for differentiated thyroid cancer. Initially, most patients may not have symptoms, while a minority might show symptoms due to invasion of surrounding organs. Ultrasound examination is the preferred method for diagnosing thyroid nodules. Ultrasound can clarify the number, nature, and location of thyroid nodules, as well as provide information on whether there are abnormally enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. It has a relatively high accuracy in identifying the nature of thyroid nodules. Currently, the most accurate test for determining the nature of thyroid nodules remains the fine needle aspiration cytology, which has a diagnostic sensitivity of 83-92% and specificity of 80-92%, but it is not 100% conclusive. The second point is about the diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer. Besides the tests common for thyroid cancers, additional tests for medullary thyroid cancer can include fine needle aspiration, ultrasound, and some serological tests, such as calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen tests.

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Written by Cui Fang Bo

Oncology

58sec

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What fruits are good to eat for thyroid cancer?

Many fruits can be consumed by patients with thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer currently has a high incidence rate in our country. For patients suspected of having thyroid cancer, a thyroid nodule puncture can be performed. After the puncture, if diagnosed with thyroid cancer, surgery is the preferred treatment. Patients who have undergone surgery often suffer from malnutrition due to the surgical expenditure, and therefore, special attention should be paid to the arrangement of nutritional intake. In terms of nutritional intake, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables is a very good choice. There are no specific contraindications indicating that patients with thyroid cancer cannot eat certain foods. Also, when it comes to consuming fruits, many types of fruits are available for selection. It is important to note that one should avoid eating raw, cold, or spoiled fruits; other fresh fruits and vegetables can be consumed.

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Written by Yan Chun

Oncology

1min 4sec

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What are the early symptoms of thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck area. The early symptoms of thyroid cancer are highly atypical, and many patients do not present clear early symptoms. Often, patients discover painless nodules in the thyroid incidentally during physical examinations; these nodules can move up and down with swallowing motions. In a minority of cases, when the nodules of early-stage thyroid cancer are large, they can cause hoarseness or coughing and choking when drinking water. Some patients might experience intermittent, hidden pain in the thyroid area during the early stages, which often resolves on its own without treatment. Besides these, in its early stages, thyroid cancer may not present other obvious symptoms. As the condition progresses, significant clinical symptoms appear only when the tumor invades surrounding structures or metastasizes to distant sites.

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Written by Gan Jun

Endocrinology

1min 2sec

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Can hypothyroidism in women lead to thyroid cancer?

Women with hypothyroidism generally do not develop thyroid tumors, as there is no necessary correlation between the two. Hypothyroidism is caused by a decrease in the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones in the body, leading to a series of symptoms associated with a slowed metabolic rate. The occurrence of hypothyroidism is due to a reduction in the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones, while thyroid cancer is mainly due to a change in the nature of the thyroid tissue. Decreased thyroid function is caused by an abnormality in thyroid secretion function. Therefore, it is advised that such patients should not worry too much, avoid placing too much mental and psychological stress on themselves, maintain a good daily routine, avoid staying up late, smoking, or drinking alcohol, and regularly review their thyroid ultrasound and thyroid function to dynamically observe the occurrence and development of thyroid diseases.

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Written by Cui Fang Bo

Oncology

53sec

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Is thyroid cancer without lymph node metastasis considered early stage?

Thyroid cancer, if it has not metastasized to lymph nodes, generally falls under early-stage. Once thyroid cancer is diagnosed, surgical removal is the primary treatment choice. Postoperative treatments vary depending on the different pathological types of thyroid cancer. For the most common type, papillary carcinoma, if the surgery is radically curative, further treatment may not be necessary, and merely supplementing thyroid hormones suffices. In cases such as follicular carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, or medullary carcinoma, even after surgically radical removal, postoperative treatment often requires further radiotherapy or treatment with Iodine-131, depending on the surgical pathology results. (The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a professional doctor.)