The thyroid gland is located on the neck, during normal functioning it is not visible, when its functions are impaired, the gland enlarges, and goiter forms on the surface of the neck, and in the case of a disease, nodes that can be either benign or malignant.
The nodes are most often benign, if a malignant node has been detected, it can absorb iodine, secreting thyroid hormones.
Malignant nodes are dangerous, as they can develop into thyroid cancer, the symptoms of which do not appear immediately. Moreover, this disease develops in 1% of people, most often in women over the age of fifty. Cancer appears more often in people who are exposed to radiation from the upper body. Malignant nodes damage the tissues and organs that are nearby, they tend to disintegrate, while cancer cells enter the blood and lymph, forming new tumors - metastases.
So, thyroid cancer, the symptoms of which are determined by the location of this organ, can have different sizes. With a small tumor size, a neoplasm in the organ can be felt, in such cases the node is dense and motionless. If the size of the tumor is slightly larger, it can cause discomfort in the neck, characterized by a feeling of heaviness. Keep in mind that these signs are not a 100% guarantee of the development of a disease such as thyroid cancer, these symptoms may accompany other thyroid disorders.
With a large tumor, it can spread to neighboring organs and tissues and be accompanied by loss of voice, coughing and suffocation.
The precancerous condition can be characterized by the presence of nodular goiter, which during inflammatory processes in the cervical region, as well as with various kinds of irradiation, can develop into thyroid cancer, the prognosis of which is unfavorable, as the tumor begins to grow over time. Therefore, you should pay attention to the presence of goiter, especially among those who live in contaminated areas.
To date, there are such varieties of thyroid cancer:
1. Anaplazirovanny cancer. This disease is observed in 1% of patients and is characterized by the rapid growth of cancer cells, so control of the disease is practically impossible.
2. Giant cell cancer. It occurs in people over the age of fifty and has the property of rapidly spreading. However, the cancerous tumor does not absorb iodine and, in frequent cases, is removed.
3. Metastatic cancer. Cancer cells spread to the internal organs, bones and brain, while the tumor absorbs radioactive iodine.
4. Medullary thyroid cancer symptoms are pronounced and can be treated, as it does not have time to spread to other organs and tissues.
5. Papillary cancer. It occurs in 90% of cases, most often in people over the age of thirty. The cancerous tumor grows slowly, therefore it should be treated at an early stage of the disease.
6. Solid cancer. The disease strikes with its progressiveness, the tumor spreads to the tissues and lymph nodes. With this disease, radiation therapy is required.
7. Follicular cancer. The tumor absorbs iodine to a small extent and often spreads to the bones of a person.
Summing up, it should be said that thyroid cancer has no specific signs. With an increase in temperature, the appearance of nausea, swelling of the skin, as well as with the formation of goiter, it is necessary to undergo an examination to detect cancer cells. It should be remembered that with the early detection of a malignant tumor, treatment can be effective and give good results.