The present sedentary lifestyle habits have given way to multiple health concerns. One of the most common among them is thyroid disorder. We often come across a lot of women and men facing thyroid issues regardless of age but are little aware of thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is an unusual form of cancer that grows in the thyroid cells. The thyroid gland secretes a hormone called Thyroxine which is required in the regulation of the body’s metabolic rate, cardiovascular, neural, and digestive functioning. It functions through almost every cell of the body.
A genetic (mutations) change in the cells of the thyroid gland leads to thyroid cancer. Because of these mutations, the cells grow and develop rapidly and they also lose the ability to die, as normal cells. The exact reason for thyroid cancer in the majority of the cases has not been delineated. The most important cause is radiation exposure. It is also common among patients who got radiation treatment for other diseases like lymphoma at a younger age. Usually, thyroid Cancer is manifested after a gap of 15 to 20 years. Other genetic mutations have been identified but the exact cause for most of these mutations has not been explained.
SYMPTOMS
• Pain and swelling in the neck
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Cough
• Weight loss
• Trouble breathing
• Fatigue
Other symptoms include swelling over bones, headache, seizures, and respiratory distress due to lung involvement etc.
DIAGNOSIS
Ultrasound examination of the neck and fine-needle aspiration cytology are the basic investigations, which are administered to confirm thyroid cancer. In advanced cases, Computerised tomography, iodine scan or positron emission tomography (PET) is done. Iodine scan is mostly done after thyroidectomy to observe any residual thyroid tissue and distant metastases.
TREATMENT
Thyroid cancer is normally treatable, even if the case is at an advanced stage and some effective treatment options ensure a great chance for a recovery. Surgery is the most important step in the management of thyroid cancer. Complete removal of the thyroid gland called thyroidectomy is the initial treatment procedure. If imaging suggests the involvement of surrounding structures or lymph nodes, those structures and lymph node dissections also needs to be planned to eliminate thyroid cancer.
RADIOACTIVE IODINE THERAPY POST-TREATMENT
Radioactive iodine therapy is used to ablate (destroy) any thyroid tissue not removed by surgery or to treat some types of thyroid cancer that have spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
After the surgery, the patient undergoes a scanning called radioiodine scan to know about any residual thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer in any part of the body. This must be done after thyroid gland removal, as in the presence of the thyroid gland, most of the iodine will be taken up by thyroid follicular cells and the scan will be negative for other deposits. Usually, it is done three to four weeks following thyroid removal. It may be normal or residual tissue detected.
PREVENTION
Thyroid cancer can be prevented by avoiding unnecessary exposure to radiation, including emission from medical imaging procedures, especially in young children. Genetic tests can be administered to detect the gene mutations found in familial medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Due to this, most of the familial cases of MTC can be treated early by removing the thyroid gland.
A healthy lifestyle routine plays an important role in detecting cancer in its early stage. This ensures timely diagnosis leading to effective treatment and management of the disease. It is always advisable to eat healthily and stay fit which will eventually improve the body immunity. Overall, thyroid cancer is completely curable in the majority of patients even in advanced stages and standard guidelines are available.
The writer is a Consultant Surgical Oncologist, HCG Panda Cancer Hospital.