Thyroid Treatment at Comprehensive Cancer
With more than 60,000 diagnoses of thyroid cancer in the United States every year, and the success rates for treating thyroid cancer (follicular and papillary thyroid cancer) reaching of 98 percent for patients under 50 years old, Comprehensive Cancer Centers urges patients to be mindful of symptoms and aware of potential issues to ultimately lead to early diagnoses.
The lobes on either side of the thyroid gland work to produce the hormones that regulates the body’s metabolism, which makes the gland one of the most vital in the body. The butterfly-shaped organ is located in the front of the neck underneath the Adam’s apple, can be difficult for people to self-diagnose, due to issues with the thyroid often being confused with colds and allergies.
Thyroid cancer occurs when cancer cells develop and grow in the thyroid glands. One of the most common symptoms of thyroid cancer is a lump in the throat and most often occurs in patients between the ages of 25 and 65. People who have been exposed to radiation are also at higher risk for this cancer.
Reducing Risks for Thyroid Cancer
Risks can be reduced when people are aware of factors that may lead have them more susceptible to the disease. Some of these factors include gender, with 75 percent of all cases diagnosed were women. Additionally, age family history and inherited conditions can play a role in elevated risk. If you are in such groups, a few symptoms to look out for include lump(s) and/or pain and swelling in the neck, coughing, trouble swallowing or breathing, as well as a hoarse voice that remains persistent.
Jobs where people are exposed to radiation can lead to high risks and diagnoses of thyroid cancer. Some of these jobs include airline pilots. One hour in a certain flight cockpits is the equivalent of spending 20 minutes in a tanning bed, Airline pilots, and their flight crews including flight attendants are also risk of melanoma during their flights, and should wear sunscreen while working. Additional jobs with radiation risk include radiology technicians and physicians.
How Comprehensive Cancer Treats Thyroid Cancer
Should you be diagnosed with thyroid cancer, of the most common types of treatment is surgery to remove cancer from the body with the following techniques used:
- Lobectomy: removes one side of the thyroid that’s affected by cancer
- Total thyroidectomy: complete thyroid removal
- Lymph node dissection: removes lymph nodes that contain cancer, if thyroid cancer has spread
Patients treated by Comprehensive Cancer Centers have the option of radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy to treat thyroid cancer. These treatments are normally used in conjunction with surgery.
Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help
Physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers provide a variety of treatment options including: chemotherapy, radiation therapy and clinical research for the treatment of cancer. For a complete list of clinical research studies currently being conducted at Comprehensive, please click here. To schedule an appointment with the team at Comprehensive, please call 702-952-3350.
The content is this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions
