Can occasional smoking and drinking be okay with thyroid cancer?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on November 27, 2024
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Thyroid cancer is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck area, and currently, the exact mechanism and etiological causes of thyroid cancer are not clearly defined in the clinic. However, some research studies indicate that there are certain factors associated with the incidence of thyroid cancer. For example, ionizing radiation, prolonged exposure can lead to the occurrence of thyroid cancer. Both insufficient and excessive iodine intake can lead to a high incidence of thyroid cancer. Genetic factors also play a significant role in the development of thyroid cancer. Excessive smoking and drinking can promote the occurrence of thyroid cancer. Therefore, heavy smoking and drinking are not recommended, but occasional smoking and drinking do not significantly impact the condition of thyroid cancer and are deemed acceptable. Moreover, for patients with thyroid cancer, treatment is primarily surgical, as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not very sensitive anti-tumor treatments.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
58sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of thyroid cancer

Early symptoms of thyroid cancer: First, differentiated thyroid cancer often exhibits no symptoms in its early stages, only accidentally discovered nodules that vary in size and texture on the front of the neck. Some patients are only diagnosed during routine physical exams or through imaging studies, with clinical symptoms being relatively rare. However, more symptoms and signs may appear in the later stages. Second, medullary thyroid cancer presents some unique symptoms, such as persistent diarrhea, typically watery, and a syndrome involving the endocrine system. Patients may exhibit facial flushing, elevated blood pressure, and decreased blood calcium levels, accompanied by other conditions, such as parathyroid adenomas, multiple mucosal neuromas, and pheochromocytomas, which also manifest specific symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Can occasional smoking and drinking be okay with thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck area, and currently, the exact mechanism and etiological causes of thyroid cancer are not clearly defined in the clinic. However, some research studies indicate that there are certain factors associated with the incidence of thyroid cancer. For example, ionizing radiation, prolonged exposure can lead to the occurrence of thyroid cancer. Both insufficient and excessive iodine intake can lead to a high incidence of thyroid cancer. Genetic factors also play a significant role in the development of thyroid cancer. Excessive smoking and drinking can promote the occurrence of thyroid cancer. Therefore, heavy smoking and drinking are not recommended, but occasional smoking and drinking do not significantly impact the condition of thyroid cancer and are deemed acceptable. Moreover, for patients with thyroid cancer, treatment is primarily surgical, as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not very sensitive anti-tumor treatments.

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home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
1min 11sec home-news-image

Symptoms of thyroid cancer

The symptoms of thyroid cancer, the first point is the clinical manifestations of differentiated thyroid cancer. Most differentiated thyroid cancers are asymptomatic, with only occasional palpable nodules of varying sizes and textures, which can sometimes be detected in routine physical and imaging examinations. A few advanced thyroid cancers may produce noticeable symptoms due to large nodules or invasion of surrounding organs, such as compression of the trachea causing breathing difficulties, difficulty swallowing due to pressure on the esophagus, and hoarseness due to compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The second point concerns the specific clinical manifestations of medullary thyroid carcinoma. The specific symptoms of medullary thyroid cancer include persistent watery diarrhea, not accompanied by severe malabsorption in the large intestine, often with facial flushing, some endocrine syndromes, and some associated conditions such as pheochromocytoma, multiple mucosal neuromas, and parathyroid adenomas.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Will thyroid cancer spread if surgery is not performed immediately after a biopsy?

Thyroid cancer, after undergoing a fine needle biopsy, may spread if surgery cannot be performed immediately, which is a risk of the thyroid cancer biopsy. Fine needle biopsy of the thyroid is a method for obtaining histopathological results and is a gold standard for the clinical diagnosis of thyroid cancer. A biopsy is an invasive examination that causes some degree of harm to the body, hence, informed consent must be obtained from the patient before proceeding. After the biopsy, complications such as local bleeding, swelling, pain, and infection may occur, and the spread of cancer cells at the biopsy site is a significant adverse effect. Therefore, for most thyroid cancer patients, it is advisable to arrange surgery as soon as possible after a biopsy to prevent the disease from spreading.

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Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
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What are the early symptoms of thyroid cancer?

The most common clinical symptom of thyroid cancer in its early stages is an abnormal lump in the neck. Additionally, some patients may experience symptoms related to abnormal thyroid function. Thyroid cancer is currently a malignant tumor with a relatively high incidence rate globally and in China. There are four pathological types of thyroid cancer: papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma. Among these, papillary carcinoma is the most common and has the best prognosis. For patients presenting with an abnormal neck lump and thyroid function abnormalities, the diagnosis of thyroid cancer should be considered. Diagnosis can be confirmed through tissue obtained by biopsy or surgical excision for pathological examination. For patients with confirmed diagnoses of thyroid cancer, surgery is the preferred treatment method.