How long does it take to get thyroid cancer without knowing it?

The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck. It controls hormones that control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and metabolism.

Abnormal proliferation of thyroid cells thyroid cancerBut because the symptoms are vague and may mimic other less severe conditions, thyroid cancer can go unnoticed for months or years.

Thyroid Cancer Surgeon Nancy Perrier, MDHere’s how thyroid cancer can go unnoticed, and what you can do to catch it early when it’s most treatable.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer are often overlooked

Unfortunately, thyroid cancer does not have many obvious symptoms, and there are individual differences.Several Signs of Thyroid Cancer include:

• lump in front of neck
• swollen thyroid or neck swelling
• Pain in the front of the neck that extends to the ears
• hoarse voice
• difficulty breathing
• persistent cough
• Dysphagia

If any of these symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, see your healthcare provider for testing.

Accurate diagnosis is key

Exact diagnose is important. There are several tests that health care providers use to find out if you have thyroid cancer.

The first thing they do is perform a physical exam to feel a lump or swelling in your neck. Soft, short-lived nodules usually do not cause problems.

After the physical examination, the care team may:

• imaging test: An ultrasound followed by a CT scan can be used to better determine the size, shape, and location of thyroid nodules. These tests can also show whether thyroid cancer has spread to lymph nodes or other areas of the body.

If biopsy and imaging tests suspect thyroid cancer, it is important to visit a cancer center with a thyroid cancer specialist to get an accurate diagnosis. For example, there may be several nodules, but if the wrong nodule is biopsied and deemed benign, a cancerous nodule may be overlooked and cause problems in the future.

MD Anderson has a team of pathologists who watch exclusively for thyroid cancer all day, every day.

Certain types of thyroid cancer can grow slowly

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common and least invasive type of thyroid cancer. It can occur in one or both thyroid lobes and can grow over several years.Certain people may be at risk of papillary thyroid cancer, such as some people with juvenile onset colon cancer.

Patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer often have symptoms that persist for years before being diagnosed.

Less common types of thyroid cancer, such as anaplastic and poorly differentiated thyroid cancer, are more aggressive. They tend to appear as large lumps that appear suddenly over weeks or months.

Thyroid cancer does not always need to be treated immediately

If the thyroid nodule is not causing problems, the patient may choose to take a watchful approach so that the care team will monitor the lump for changes before proceeding with treatment.

In most cases, when people go to be checked for lumps, they already have trouble breathing or swallowing. In this case, the most common treatments are: surgery Part or all of the thyroid gland is removed.

patient Genetic mutation Children who are particularly at risk of thyroid cancer may live many years before they need treatment. Monitor these patients with ultrasound and laboratory.

It may be better to let the body release thyroid hormones naturally for as long as possible before proceeding with treatment. With careful observation, if necessary, the thyroid gland can be removed quickly before the disease spreads.

Seeking Treatment from a Thyroid Cancer Specialist

Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. I want to receive the right treatment from the right place at the right time. The thyroid gland is a very delicate gland and is in a very difficult area. Therefore, it is imperative to seek treatment from a specialist experienced in treating and resecting tumors so that you can achieve the best possible quality of life.

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