Causes ,effects symptoms and treatments of thyroid cancer

by Symptom Advice on April 12, 2011

Causes ,effects symptoms and treatments of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer: Thyroid cancer occurs in the thyroid gland. Thyroid gland is useful in producing two cells, follicular cells and C cells. Follicular cells produce thyroid hormone to control the effect of heart rate, energy levels and body temperature and C cells control the level of calcium in the body by producing calcitonin hormone. Thyroid cancer blocks the production of this hormone by producing cancer cells in the thyroid glands. Thyroid cancer is defined as the disorder in the life cycle of thyroid gland cells. this occurs due to the unusual growth of the thyroid cells without controlling limit. these cancer cells move from original state to distant state and causes destruction to adjacent body tissues by the spreading of uncontrolled cells through blood or lymph.

Thyroid cancer is a combination of several cancers with different types of causes, symptoms and treatments. this cancer is of three types, in which abnormal growth of cells is common in all of them. The normal cells are the basic unit of life, they grow and divide into more cells when the body requires them. these cells forms the tissues and then organs, they are the building blocks of the body system. if there is an abnormal growth and division of cells without any controlling limit, then it results in forming tumor (excess tissue) in the body.

Tumors are of two types, they are as follows:

• Benign tumor • Malignant tumor

Benign tumor: this tumor is not cancerous. they can be treated easily. they don’t spread to other parts of the body.

Malignant tumor: this tumor is cancerous, they causes damage to the adjacent organs by spreading the cancer cells at high rate. The cells in this tumor invade the distant organs and forms new tumors through blood flow or by lymphatic system. The new tumor has the same characteristic features of the primary tumor. for example, if the thyroid cancer spreads to the lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually belonging to the thyroid cancer cells but not to the lung cancer cells. then this disease is called as metastatic Thyroid cancer.

Types of Thyroid cancer: There are three main types of thyroid cancer. • Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers: this disease grows slowly. this disease occurs in the follicular cells. so detection of this disease in the early stages can be cured successfully by surgery treatment. About 80 to 90 cases of thyroid cancer cases are related to this papillary and follicular thyroid cancer.

Medullary thyroid cancer: this cancer is easy to control because it grows slowly. this cancer occurs in the C cells and not in follicular cells. About 5 to 10 percent cancer cases are related to medullary thyroid cancer.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer: this cancer is very rare one, only 1 to 2 percent of cancer cases are related to anaplastic thyroid cancer. this cancer occurs in follicular cells .this cancer is not easy to control and identify because  this cancer cells grow rapidly and quickly.

Causes of thyroid cancer: till now no one knows the exact reason for the causes of this cancer, but the risk factors for this thyroid cancer are identified.

Risk factors for thyroid cancer:

Smoking: Smoking increases the risk factor for causing lung cancer and thyroid cancer. Due to intake of nicotine content for longer time there will chances in the failure of working system of stem cells. so, please avoid smoking to reduce the risk factors.

Radiation: Due to excess radiations to the body, the risk factors for leukemia increases. Radiations like diagnose X-rays or UV rays increase the risk factors.

Family history of thyroid cancer: Family history of cancer also plays a key role in increasing the risk factors. so go for regular screening to diagnose the disease.

Age: people with above 40 years of age are more likely to face this risk factor for thyroid cancer.

Gender: Woman has 3 to 4 times higher chances of risk factors for thyroid cancer.

Less iodine in the diet: Thyroid gland requires iodine to produce thyroid hormone, due to less intake of iodine the risk factors for thyroid cancer increases.

Symptoms and signs of thyroid cancer:

• Difficult in breathing and swallowing • Formation of lump nears Adam’s apple • Hoarseness • Pain in the throat

Many of the above mentioned symptoms are not due to cancer but to some infection causes. if you find any of these symptoms lasts for longer time please report to your health care provider to diagnose the problem.

Treatment methods for Thyroid cancer: Generally for every cancer treatment following factors are considered like age, health condition and the stage of the cancer. By considering these factors treatment is carried.

Surgery: Surgery is the most common available treatment for removing cancer cells. Surgery is carried to remove the thyroid tumor. Surgery can be carried in the early stages of the tumor occurrence. Surgery is taken place only if the cancer is located in only one part of the body. During the surgery process the damaged lymph nodes are also removed along with the thyroid tumor.

The surgery process is carried in two ways they are:

Total thyroidectomy: The total removal process of thyroid gland is called as total thyroidectomy. By making small incisions, the thyroid is removed completely along with the lymph nodes if necessary, because to stop the spreading of the disease to other parts of the body. People will receive external radiation therapy and radioactive iodine therapy after having this total thyroidectomy. During this process some head and neck tissues will also be removed.

Lobectomy: this surgery is given for the people who are facing Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers. In this process the cancerous lobe module is removed along with the nearby lymph nodes. People having this surgery will receive radioactive iodine therapy and additional incision surgery to remove the remaining thyroid tissue.

Radioactive iodine therapy: Radioactive iodine therapy uses radio active I-131 drug to kill cancer cells in the neck. this I-131 drug is given only in the form of pill or liquid through mouth with fewer doses. People facing medullary thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer doesn’t need this treatment.

Hormone treatment: Hormonal therapy can be useful to cure and control the endometruim cancer cells from growth. Hormonal therapy process changes the level of endometruim hormones in the body and blocks the hormones from affecting from cancer cells.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is one of the treatments useful in killing cancer causing cells by the usage of drugs. this treatment process is carried by either pills or through intravascular injections. The anti-cancer drug enters into the bloodstream and travels towards the damaged tissues and destroys the cancer cells.Chemotherapeutic drugs attacks the cancer cells by stopping their unusual growth. The nature of this thyroid cancer cells were brought to the normal condition by controlling the divisibility of the cells. this cancer chemotherapy drug can be given at either clinic or at home. The usage of this drug can be daily, weekly or monthly depending on the stage of the cancer and body immune system. Chemotherapy treatment is given by considering the following basis like age, gender, drug toxicity and body weight. The dosage and usability should be carried under proper supervision.

Radiotherapy: this treatment is based on the extent of the disease. Radiotherapy is a useful process helps in removing thyroid cancer cells by using high intensity x-rays. these high energy x-rays are aimed at the thyroid tumor to destroy the cancer cells .this process also causes damage to the normal cells for its side effects. so, external radiation therapy is used to treat this thyroid cancer with fewer side effects. • External radiation therapy: External radiation therapy process is carried out from outside the body. The powerful x-ray beams are aimed at the effected area from outside the body and destroy the cancer causing cells permanently without re-occurrence.

Internal radiations: High intensity X-ray beams are passed into the body by making some small incisions in the bone area. this treatment gives better results than the external radiation therapy.

Thyroid cancer is referred as malignant cancer. Treatment methods for this cancer involve surgery, chemotherapy, external radiotherapy and radioactive iodine. Thyroid cancer can be cured successfully only in the starting stage of its occurrence.

Author shares information on causes, symptoms, effects, risk factors, preventions, treatments, prognosis of diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart attack, obesity and also shares information on Men’s health, women’s health, sexual health, mental health, health and fitness, pregnancy, Blood disorders, Muscles, bones and joints, Health issues, and Weight loss.

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