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Thyroid Cancer Signs and Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  approximately 45,000 Americans are diagnosed with thyroid cancer every year, making the cancer one that Comprehensive Cancer Centers  urges people to monitor closely.

With other conditions, such as breast cancer, one can follow simple self-check guidelines to monitor their health to lead to early detection. For skin cancer, self-skin checks are also an easy way to find trouble signs early. But what about thyroid cancer? How can one find out if they may have that cancer, to ensure an early detection for optimal treatment outcomes? For many, thyroid cancer has been detected simply by paying attention unusual swelling in the neck, which is considered the most common sign or symptom.

As with all cancers, Comprehensive recommends patients get better informed to detect potential issues as early as possible. The sooner the oncologists at Comprehensive can put a customized treatment plan in place, should a diagnosis occur, the more successful treatment outcomes become when compared to diagnoses caught in later stages.

Finding thyroid cancer isn’t entirely reliant on people conducting self-checks. The cancer’s detection also has benefitted from advancements in medicine. Thyroid cancer is now one of the most rapidly increasing cancer diagnoses in the United States, and not necessarily because of factors causing more cases, but due to the improvement of diagnostic technologies finding cases earlier.

Many thyroid tumors today are now discovered when a patient is being checked for another problem by imaging tests including chest or neck CT, carotid Doppler studies or a MRI of the can spot tumors that are thyroid cancers. Good news is that thyroid cancer has a five-year survival rate of approximately 98 percent, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Risks Factors and Early Signs for Thyroid Cancers

While thyroid cancers are being found more often and in early stages, they still require vigilance from those at risk. The cancer can present at any age, but risks peak for women in their 40s or 50s. Most men are diagnosed with thyroid cancer in their 60s or 70s. According to data from the American Cancer Society, women are also three times more likely than men to develop the cancer.

Everyone, but most particularly those in the age groups above, should pay attention to the following symptoms to be sure to give themselves the best chances to detect thyroid cancer early:

  • Trouble Breathing – If you encounter trouble breathing due to the challenge of getting air into your lungs, be sure to get checked out immediately, as it could be the sign an aggressive form of thyroid cancer.
  • Lumps or Swelling – As mentioned at the beginning of this story, it’s possible to detect thyroid cancer early by checking your neck for unusual lumps or swelling. Not all of these lumps or instances of swelling are cancer, but Comprehensive encourages those who find them be checked out by a primary physician.
  • Difficulty Swallowing – Thyroid tumors can make swelling a challenge due to the tumor pressing against the esophagus. The feeling of a tumor can be similar to what’s felt when something is stuck in your throat.
  • Changes in Voice – Voice changes that occur occasionally are not often a cause for concern, but voice changes, particularly ones that make your voice hoarse over long periods of time can be cause for concern.

How Comprehensive Cancer Treats Thyroid Cancer

If any of these symptoms present, they can be signs of other health issues and merit a visit to see your primary physician to follow up. If your doctor, or a specialist, such as an endocrinologist or  an ear, nose and throat physician (ENT), sees signs of concern, be sure to get further referral to Comprehensive Cancer for more tests.

Even if a nodule is found by Comprehensive to be malignant, thyroid cancer is highly treatable with radiation and chemotherapy as well as with surgery, if necessary.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help

Physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada provide a variety of options for thyroid cancer care including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, as well as clinical research for the treatment of cancer. For a complete list of clinical research studies currently being conducted at Comprehensive, 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.

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