"Good Cancer" - Thyroid Cancer

In my country, there are more and more thyroid cancer patients, and most patients will choose to have surgery to remove the tumor in time. Researchers have found that thyroid cancer has a good prognosis overall and a relatively high survival rate. Data show that the 10-year survival rates of papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma are 93%, 85%, and 76%, respectively. In general, the risks and harms of thyroid cancer to the human body are relatively low, so both professionals and the general public call thyroid cancer a "good cancer."

1. What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?

Patients with early thyroid cancer have no obvious symptoms, but as the disease progresses and the tumor grows, patients can feel a lump in the neck that is hard and uneven in surface. Generally, they do not feel pain, and their range of motion is limited. Sometimes, they feel ear pain. If the trachea or esophagus is compressed, it will cause breathing difficulties or swallowing difficulties. Hoarseness will occur when the tumor compresses or invades the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Tumor metastasis can cause local lymph node enlargement in the neck, chest tightness and shortness of breath, etc.

2. Why do people get thyroid cancer?

Although the cause of this disease is unclear, researchers believe that it may be related to iodine intake, radiation, gender, genetics, and family history. Follicular thyroid cancer is common in areas where the diet is iodine-deficient, and a high-iodine diet may be associated with the occurrence of papillary thyroid cancer; radiation exposure, especially radiation exposure during childhood, increases the risk, including X-rays, CT, and radiotherapy; the incidence of thyroid cancer in women is almost three times that of men; if a parent or sibling in the family has had thyroid cancer, the risk of this disease will also be higher.

3. How to detect thyroid cancer early?

Thyroid cancer will not have obvious symptoms in the early stage. Clinical experience tells us that regular physical examinations and ultrasound examinations are the only way to detect thyroid cancer in the early stage. When ultrasound examinations reveal solid nodules, nodule calcification, etc., thyroid cancer should be highly suspected, and further detailed examinations such as puncture under the guidance of color Doppler ultrasound should be performed for early diagnosis and treatment.

4. What are the treatments for thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer grows relatively slowly, so the prognosis is good. There are several treatment options:

(1) Surgical treatment: Except for undifferentiated cancer, surgical treatment is generally recommended after the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. However, for patients with micro-cancers smaller than 5 mm, located in the gland, and without risk factors such as cervical lymph node metastasis, if they do not want surgery, close dynamic observation can be considered; patients who cannot tolerate anesthesia, have abnormal cardiopulmonary function, are elderly, or suffer from other serious diseases can temporarily not undergo surgery.

(2) Radioiodine therapy: The purpose of adjuvant therapy with iodine G131 is to destroy differentiated thyroid cancer lesions that have not been confirmed by imaging, thereby reducing the risk of disease-specific recurrence and death. Therefore, adjuvant therapy with iodine G131 can be performed based on the size of the tumor, the thoroughness of the surgery, the relationship between the tumor and surrounding tissue invasion, and lymph node metastasis.

(3) Endocrine therapy: Since hypothyroidism may occur after thyroid cancer surgery, oral thyroid hormone supplementation should be taken in a timely manner.

(4) Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment: In clinical practice, Chinese medicine is combined with other herbs for treatment based on the patient's disease condition, physical condition, and symptoms. Some patients may experience weakness, sweating, poor sleep, or irregular bowel movements after surgery. In this case, traditional Chinese medicine can be used to regulate the above symptoms and restore the balance of yin and yang. For patients with more serious thyroid cancer, appropriate softening and dispersing drugs can be used on the basis of syndrome differentiation and treatment to prevent recurrence and metastasis.