Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is cancer of the thyroid gland. This gland controls many things like weight, blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate. Cancer.gov estimates new cases and deaths from thyroid cancer in the United States in 2010 will be: New Cases: 44,670 Deaths: 1,690

About Thyroid Cancer

There are different types of thyroid cancer. They are:

Papillary: the most common and least deadly, slow spreading, usually found in woman of childbearing years.

Follicular: this type often comes back and accounts for around 10% of thyroid cancers.

Medullary: cancer found in non-thyroid cells in the thyroid, usually found in families.

Anaplastic: rarest of thyroid cancer but the most deadly. It is fast spreading and causes breathing difficulties.

The cause of thyroid cancer is not clear; however, some risk factors do exist. Some common risk factors found with thyroid cancer include radiation treatment as a child, family history and inherited genetic syndromes.

Some symptoms of thyroid cancer include swollen thyroid gland, coughing, hoarseness, change in voice and difficulty swallowing. Treatments depend on type of thyroid cancer and stage. Surgery is usually the most common followed by radiation and chemotherapy or a combination of different treatments. There are also many clinical trials taking place for thyroid cancer.

As with any cancer, early detection is key. Be sure to inform your doctor if you notice any changes.

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