Thyroid cancer where is it

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Thyroid Cancer Screening. Key Points Thyroid cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the thyroid gland.

Thyroid nodules are common but usually are not cancer. There are different types of thyroid cancer. Age, gender, and being exposed to radiation can affect the risk of thyroid cancer. Medullary thyroid cancer is sometimes caused by a change in a gene that is passed from parent to child. Signs of thyroid cancer include a swelling or lump in the neck. Tests that examine the thyroid, neck, and blood are used to diagnose thyroid cancer. Certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options.

Control heart rate , body temperature, and how quickly food is changed into energy metabolism. Control the amount of calcium in the blood. Differentiated thyroid cancer, which includes well-differentiated tumors , poorly differentiated tumors, and undifferentiated tumors; or Medullary thyroid cancer.

Being between 25 and 65 years old. Being female. Being exposed to radiation to the head and neck as an infant or child or being exposed to radioactive fallout. The cancer may occur as soon as 5 years after exposure. Having a history of goiter enlarged thyroid. Having a family history of thyroid disease or thyroid cancer.

Being Asian. A lump nodule in the neck. Trouble breathing. Trouble swallowing. Pain when swallowing. Physical exam and health history : An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps nodules or swelling in the neck, voice box , and lymph nodes , and anything else that seems unusual. Laryngoscopy : A procedure in which the doctor checks the larynx voice box with a mirror or a laryngoscope. A laryngoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing.

A thyroid tumor may press on vocal cords. The laryngoscopy is done to see if the vocal cords are moving normally. Blood hormone studies : A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain hormones released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body.

An unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease in the organ or tissue that makes it. The blood may be checked for abnormal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH.

TSH is made by the pituitary gland in the brain. It stimulates the release of thyroid hormone and controls how fast follicular thyroid cells grow.

The blood may also be checked for high levels of the hormone calcitonin and antithyroid antibodies. Blood chemistry studies : A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances, such as calcium , released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body.

An unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease. Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs in the neck and make echoes.

The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. The picture can be printed to be looked at later. This procedure can show the size of a thyroid nodule and whether it is solid or a fluid-filled cyst. Ultrasound may be used to guide a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

CT scan CAT scan : A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the neck, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly.

This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. Enlarge Computed tomography CT scan of the head and neck. The patient lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the head and neck. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid : The removal of thyroid tissue using a thin needle. The needle is inserted through the skin into the thyroid.

Several tissue samples are removed from different parts of the thyroid. A pathologist views the tissue samples under a microscope to look for cancer cells. Because the type of thyroid cancer can be hard to diagnose, patients should ask to have biopsy samples checked by a pathologist who has experience diagnosing thyroid cancer.

Surgical biopsy : The removal of the thyroid nodule or one lobe of the thyroid during surgery so the cells and tissues can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. The age of the patient at the time of diagnosis. The type of thyroid cancer. The stage of the cancer. Whether the cancer was completely removed by surgery.

The patient's general health. Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred come back. Key Points After thyroid cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the thyroid or to other parts of the body.

There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. Stages are used to describe thyroid cancer based on the type of thyroid cancer and the age of the patient: Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients younger than 55 years Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients 55 years and older Anaplastic thyroid cancer in patients of all ages Medullary thyroid cancer in patients of all ages Thyroid cancer can recur come back after it has been treated.

CT scan CAT scan : A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the chest, abdomen , and brain , taken from different angles. Ultrasound exam : A procedure in which high-energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes.

Chest x-ray : An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body. Bone scan : A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells , such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy : The removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node in a group of lymph nodes to receive lymphatic drainage from the primary tumor.

It is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the primary tumor. The substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes.

The first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are not found, it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.

Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.

The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body. Stage I: In stage I papillary and follicular thyroid cancer , the tumor is any size and may have spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes. Cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. Enlarge Stage I papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients younger than 55 years.

The tumor is any size and cancer may have spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes. Stage II: In stage II papillary and follicular thyroid cancer , the tumor is any size and cancer may have spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes. Cancer has spread from the thyroid to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or bones.

Enlarge Stage II papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients younger than 55 years. Stage I: In stage I papillary and follicular thyroid cancer , cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller. Enlarge Stage I papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients 55 years and older. Cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller. Stage II: In stage II papillary and follicular thyroid cancer , one of the following is found: cancer is found in the thyroid and the tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller; cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes ; or cancer is found in the thyroid, the tumor is larger than 4 centimeters, and cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes; or the tumor is any size and cancer has spread from the thyroid to nearby muscles in the neck and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.

In stage IVA, the tumor is any size and cancer has spread to tissue in front of the spine or has surrounded the carotid artery or the blood vessels in the area between the lungs. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes. Enlarge Stage IVA papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients 55 years and older. The tumor is any size and cancer has a spread to tissue in front of the spine; or b surrounded the carotid artery; or c surrounded the blood vessels in the area between the lungs.

In stage IVB, the tumor is any size and cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or bones. Enlarge Stage IVB papillary and follicular thyroid cancer in patients 55 years and older. The tumor is any size and cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or bones. In stage IVA , cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor may be any size. Enlarge Stage IVA anaplastic thyroid cancer. Cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor may be any size.

In stage IVB , one of the following is found: cancer is found in the thyroid and the tumor may be any size; cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes ; or Enlarge Stage IVB anaplastic thyroid cancer 1. Cancer is found in the thyroid and the tumor may be any size. Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The tumor is any size and cancer has spread from the thyroid to nearby muscles in the neck.

Cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. Enlarge Stage IVB anaplastic thyroid cancer 3. The tumor is any size and cancer has spread from the thyroid to soft tissue under the skin, the esophagus, the trachea, the larynx, the recurrent laryngeal nerve a nerve that goes to the larynx , or tissue in front of the spine; or cancer has surrounded the carotid artery or the blood vessels in the area between the lungs. Stage I: In stage I medullary thyroid cancer , cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller.

Enlarge Stage I medullary thyroid cancer. Cancer is found in the thyroid only and the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller. Stage II: In stage II medullary thyroid cancer , one of the following is found: cancer is in the thyroid only and the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters ; or the tumor is any size and cancer has spread from the thyroid to nearby muscles in the neck.

In stage IVA, either of the following is found: the tumor is any size and cancer has spread from the thyroid to soft tissue under the skin, the esophagus , the trachea , the larynx , or the recurrent laryngeal nerve a nerve that goes to the larynx ; cancer may have spread to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck; or the tumor is any size and cancer may have spread from the thyroid to nearby muscles in the neck; cancer has spread to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck.

Key Points There are different types of treatment for patients with thyroid cancer. Six types of standard treatment are used: Surgery Radiation therapy, including radioactive iodine therapy Chemotherapy Thyroid hormone therapy Targeted therapy Watchful waiting New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. Immunotherapy Treatment for thyroid cancer may cause side effects.

Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. Thyroid gland Your thyroid gland is located at the base of your neck, just below the Adam's apple.

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Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Anaplastic thyroid cancer adult. Mayo Clinic; Differentiated thyroid cancer adult. Medullary thyroid cancer. Melmed S, et al. Nontoxic diffuse goiter, nodular thyroid disorders, and thyroid malignancies. In: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology.

Elsevier; Accessed Dec. Thyroid carcinoma. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Niederhuber JE, et al. Cancer of the endocrine system. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. I radiotherapy. Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. Frequently asked questions about potassium iodide. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Brito JP, et al.

Net Guide to Sarcoma. For information on a tumor in the nearby parathyroid gland, read Cancer. If you would like more of an introduction, explore this related item. Please note that this link will take you to another section on Cancer. The next section in this guide is Statistics. It helps explain the number of people who are diagnosed with th yroid cancer and general survival rates.

Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide. Thyroid Cancer: Introduction Approved by the Cancer. About the thyroid Thyroid cancer begins in the thyroid gland. About thyroid tumors Thyroid cancer starts when healthy cells in the thyroid change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. The thyroid gland contains 2 types of cells: Follicular cells. Types of thyroid cancer There are 5 main types of thyroid cancer: Papillary thyroid cancer.

Looking for More of an Introduction? This free fact sheet is available as a PDF, so it is easy to print. Types of Cancer. Thyroid Cancer Guide. Net Guide Thyroid Cancer. Medical Illustrations. Risk Factors. Symptoms and Signs. Types of Treatment. About Clinical Trials. Latest Research.

Coping with Treatment. Follow-Up Care. Questions to Ask the Health Care Team. Additional Resources.