ABOUT THYROID CANCER

Thyroid cancer is a cancerous tumor or growth located within the thyroid gland (an organ at the base of the throat that makes hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight).

Four main types of thyroid cancer are papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. The four types are based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope.

The National Cancer Institute estimates 37,340 new cases and 1,590 deaths from thyroid cancer in the United States in 2008:

Thyroid Cancer symptoms can include a lump or nodule in the front of the neck, hoarseness or difficulty speaking, swollen lymph nodes, difficulty swallowing or breathing and pain in the throat or neck.

Treatments for thyroid cancer include surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, external beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

While the prognosis for most thyroid cancer patients is very good, the rate of recurrence can be up to 30%, and recurrences can occur even decades after the initial diagnosis.

For more information about Thyroid Cancer CLICK HERE.