What you need to know about thyroid cancer screening

What you need to know about thyroid cancer screening

Julie Scott, DNP
Julie Scott, DNP
cancerGO | Thyroid Cancer

What is Thyroid Cancer?

The thyroid is a gland in the front of the neck responsible for hormone production. When cells of the thyroid become abnormal, cancer develops. There are no screening tests to evaluate thyroid cancer cells’ presence. A diagnosis is typically made when someone is being evaluated for the cause of symptoms they may be experiencing.

Risk factors for thyroid cancer

When evaluating symptoms, someone’s risk of developing thyroid cancer may be considered. Some of the risk factors of thyroid cancer include:

● Family history of thyroid cancer

● History of radiation exposure

● Being overweight or obese

● Diet too high or low in iodine

● Inherited syndromes such as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), familial adenomatous polyposis, and Cowden disease

● White or Asian race

● Ages 20 to 55 years old

● Female sex

Symptoms of thyroid cancer

The symptoms of thyroid cancer can include:

● A lump in the throat

● Hoarse voice

● Difficulty swallowing

● Swelling to the neck

● Trouble breathing

Tests for thyroid cancer

If thyroid cancer is suspected, there can be a variety of tests that can be done.

One of these tests is an ultrasound, where sound waves are used to get a picture of the thyroid gland. It will be looking for nodules that look suspicious for cancer. Ultrasound can also look at lymph nodes near the thyroid to see if they also look suspicious for cancer. Ultrasound is often used to assist during a biopsy, where a needle is inserted into a nodule to test for cancer cells.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can also be done to get a detailed look at the thyroid. It is often done if ultrasound images are inconclusive.

A radioiodine thyroid scan is a test that can be done after thyroid cancer has been diagnosed. During this test, a pill containing radioactive iodine is swallowed. The iodine is taken up by the thyroid and other thyroid cancer cells in the body. Images are then taken to see if there are thyroid cancer cells outside the thyroid.

In conclusion, thyroid cancer screening is essential to detect the disease early. The American Thyroid Association recommends that people at high risk for thyroid cancer should get screened annually.

Talk to your doctor about getting screened if you think you might be at risk. Remember, early detection is key!

 

Julie Scott, DNP
Julie Scott, DNP
Julie is an oncology certified Oncology Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of medical oncology experience. In addition to her clinical work, she is an accomplished healthcare writer providing oncology content for various publications. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member for a Master's nursing program and a chair for Doctoral nursing students.

Download our
mobile app

Share this post
You may also like
Articles
Understanding Myeloproliferative Neoplasm and Its Treatment Options
January 23, 2023

What are Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of blood cancers that affect the bone marrow and the blood cells it produces. They lead to the abnormal growth of one or more types of blood cells that the bone marrow produces, including white blood cells, red blood…

Julie Scott, DNP

author

Articles
The Little-known Cancer – Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP)
November 4, 2022

CUP, also known as Cancer of unknown primary, is Cancer that has metastasized from another body part. The site where it began, also called the primary site, is unknown in this case. Why CUP is a challenging cancer? Cancer of unknown primary is often challenging because it tends to be…

Vino Cherian

administrator

Articles
Cancer of the tongue: causes, symptoms and treatment
December 22, 2022

Tongue cancer is a type of cancer that grows in the tongue. It is often named based on the part of the tongue that is affected, either on the front of the tongue, back of the tongue, or base of the tongue. Factors that can make someone at higher risk…

Julie Scott, DNP

author

cancerGO gives you access to a community

Where are people to listen, answer questions, share information, and offer valuable and timely advice