Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer begins when abnormal cells grow in the thyroid gland—a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the neck that helps regulate metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, and calcium balance. Most thyroid nodules are benign, but some are cancerous and require treatment.

Types

Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC)

papillary (most common) and follicular cancers; these generally have excellent outcomes with appropriate care.

Hurthle cell (a follicular derived variant)

less common; behavior can be more variable and sometimes more aggressive.

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)

arises from C cells (calcitonin-producing); may be sporadic or inherited via RET gene changes (MEN2 syndromes).

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC)

rare, aggressive, and typically requires urgent, multidisciplinary management.

Signs & Symptoms

Neck lump/swelling, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or persistent neck discomfort.
Some MTCs can raise calcitonin, and advanced disease (any type) may cause lymph-node enlargement or symptoms from spread.

Who Gets It & Risk Factors

Sex & age: Thyroid cancer occurs across all ages but is diagnosed most often between 55–64 years, and women are affected ~3× as often as men.
Radiation exposure: Prior head/neck radiation (especially in childhood) increases risk for certain types.
Radiation exposure: Prior head/neck radiation (especially in childhood) increases risk for certain types.

Screening & Early Detection

There is no population wide screening proven to lower deaths from thyroid cancer, and routine screening can lead to over-diagnosis and over-treatment.
Evaluation is appropriate for symptoms or a found nodule (e.g., on exam or imaging for other reasons).

Diagnosis

Workup typically includes:

to characterize nodules and lymph nodes.

for cytology; molecular testing may assist when cytology is indeterminate.

(e.g., TSH, and for suspected/confirmed MTC, calcitonin/CEA).

for suspected hereditary MTC (RET).

Your pathology report will describe the histology, tumor location (cardia vs noncardia), and may include biomarker testing (e.g., HER2, PDL1, MSI/dMMR) that can influence treatment decisions in advanced disease.

Staging & Risk Stratification

Staging depends on type, tumor size/extent, lymph-node involvement, and metastases; age impacts staging for papillary/follicular cancers.
For DTC, clinicians also assign recurrence risk categories (low/intermediate/high) to tailor the need for radioactive iodine (RAI) and followup intensity.

Treatment Options

Your plan is individualized based on cancer type, stage, molecular markers, overall health, and preferences, and is delivered by a multidisciplinary team (endocrinology, endocrine/head-and-neck surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, genetics).

Differentiated Thyroid Cancers (Papillary/Follicular/Hurthle)

Surgery (lobectomy or total thyroidectomy) is the mainstay for most operable tumors; approach depends on size, focality, node status, and risk.
Radioactive iodine (RAI) may be recommended after surgery for selected DTC patients to ablate remnant tissue and reduce recurrence risk; not all patients benefit.
Thyroid hormone therapy (TSH suppression) helps lower recurrence risk in appropriate DTC patients.
Targeted therapies (e.g., TKIs) and immunotherapy/clinical trials are options for RAI-refractory or advanced disease.

Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC)

Total thyroidectomy (with appropriate node evaluation) is standard for resectable disease; RAI is not effective for MTC.
RETtargeted therapies and other systemic options may be used for advanced, unresectable, or metastatic MTC.

Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC)

Urgent, multimodal care—surgery when feasible, systemic therapy, radiation, and airway/feeding support as needed.
Molecular testing can identify actionable mutations for targeted treatment strategies.

Active surveillance may be considered for carefully selected, very low-risk papillary microcarcinomas, reflecting evolving evidence to reduce over treatment.

Prognosis

DTC usually has an excellent outlook, with very high long-term survival when treated appropriately.
MTC has an intermediate prognosis; outcomes are improved by early diagnosis (often via genetics-guided care).
ATC has a poor prognosis, but rapid, specialized care and clinical trials may improve outcomes for some patients.

Follow-Up & Survivorship

DTC: periodic thyroglobulin (or anti-Tg) and TSH levels, neck ultrasound, and clinical visits; imaging is tailored to risk and prior findings.
MTC: calcitonin/CEA monitoring and appropriate imaging.
Long-term attention to TSH goals, calcium/vitamin D (post-op), voice/swallow issues, and quality-of-life concerns.

Why Choose Illinois CancerCare

Multidisciplinary thyroid cancer expertise—coordinating endocrine surgery, endocrinology, medical and radiation oncology, genetics, and supportive care—close to home in central Illinois.
Evidence aligned options across the spectrum: active surveillance (when appropriate), RAI, modern systemic therapies, and clinical trial referral pathways for complex or advanced disease.

Sources & Patient Friendly References

All information was taken from the NCI (National Cancer Institute) and ACS (American Cancer Society).