Thyroid CancerBe sure to visit our Thyroid Discussion Forum
Thyroid CancerThyroid cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer, but like all forms of cancer, it can be life-threatening. It usually appears in the form of a lump. The only accurate way to tell whether a thyroid lump is cancerous is by examining a sample of thyroid tissue. People who have received radiation treatment to the head and neck earlier in life, possibly as a remedy for acne, tend to have a higher-than-normal propensity for thyroid cancer. There are 4 major types: Papillary This is the most common form, accounting for about 70 percent of all thyroid cancer cases. It usually takes the form of an irregular, solid or cystic mass. Papillary thyroid cancer has a high cure rate, and 80-90 percent of patients with this type survive for ten years or more. Follicular Follicular thyroid cancer accounts for approximately 15 percent of cases, and is therefore the second most common type.. It's considered to be more aggressive than the papillary form. Follicular carcinoma often occurs in a slightly older age group than papillary carcinoma and is also less prevalent in children. Medullary Medullary tumors account for about 5 to 8 percent of thyroid cancer cases. These tumors arise from thyroid hormone producing cells called parafollicular cells or C cells in the thyroid. These C cells make a hormone called calcitonin. Medullary thyroid cancer has a much lower cure rate than the papillary and follicular forms. If the disease is confined to the thyroid gland, the patient has a 90 percent chance of living at least ten years. Anaplastic Anaplastic tumors are the least common but most deadly of all thyroid cancers, with a very low cure rate. Only about 0.5 to 1.5 percent of all thyroid cancers fall into this category. This cancer has a very low cure rate, and only 10 percent of patients survive for three years after diagnosis. Most patients survive less than one year.
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