While it showed the sharpest decrease in diagnoses among cancer types in a recent report, thyroid cancer is still a real concern. Thyroid cancer grows in the thyroid, located on the front of the neck. The thyroid gland is tasked with many jobs throughout the body, producing hormones that regulate blood pressure, metabolism, heart rate, and more. 

This butterfly-shaped gland is notorious among medical professionals for sprouting growths. These growths are called nodules, and can often be felt to the touch or are detected via ultrasound. Most are harmless, but 2-3 out of every 20 nodules are cancerous. Let’s navigate the world of thyroid cancer, including thyroid carcinoma types, thyroid cancer risk factors, treatment options, and opportunities for support. 

Thyroid Carcinoma Types

There are three main thyroid carcinoma types: differentiated, medullary, and anaplastic. Anaplastic, or undifferentiated thyroid cancer is aggressive, but quite rare, making up only about 2% of cases. Differentiated types, which include papillary and Hurthle cell thyroid cancers, and medullary thyroid cancer are more common. 

Papillary Thyroid Cancer

About 8 out of every 10 thyroid cancer diagnoses are papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). They grow slowly, but tend to spread to the lymph nodes. Fortunately, this type of carcinoma is usually treatable and has a good survival rate, especially if it has not morphed into metastatic papillary thyroid cancer. Papillary thyroid cancer symptoms are often mild, including painless lumps on the thyroid gland. However, as they grow they may cause pain or breathing issues depending on their location. 

Hurthle Cell Thyroid Cancer

Hurthle Cell thyroid (HCT) cancer is also known as oxyphilic cell carcinoma or oncocytic thyroid cancer. Though it is also a differentiated type, it can be a little tougher to locate and treat than its papillary counterpart. It makes up about 3% of all thyroid cancers. 

Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Medullary thyroid cancer, or MTC, accounts for about 4% of thyroid cancers. MTC can be sneaky, often spreading to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, or becoming liver cancer or lung cancer before any symptoms are discovered. There are two types of medullary thyroid carcinoma— sporadic and familial. Sporadic MTC accounts for 80% of MTC cases. Familial MTC is inherited, and often develops earlier in life than sporadic cases.

Thyroid Cancer Risk Factors

Anyone is susceptible to thyroid cancer, but certain risk factors may increase the likelihood of its development. Thyroid carcinoma risk factors include:

• Sex. Women are affected by thyroid cancer three times more often than men. 
• Age. It can occur at any age, but often is diagnosed earlier than other cancers. 
• Gene abnormalities. This is often linked to family history.
• Exposure to radiation. Radiation from numerous sources, from past medical treatments to nuclear exposure, can increase thyroid cancer risk.
• Obesity. The risk for thyroid cancer goes up as body mass index (BMI) increases.
• Iodine intake. Both low and high levels can contribute to the risk of developing certain types of thyroid cancer. 

Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Fortunately, most thyroid cancers can be treated, even cured, especially if they haven’t spread to other organs or tissues. Thyroid cancer treatment may vary depending on the type and patient factors, but some common treatment plans include:

• Radioactive iodine therapy: Since the thyroid absorbs most of the iodine in the body, patients can be administered iodine that includes a radiation dose. This treatment doesn’t affect other parts of the body as much as typical radiation regimens.
• Surgery: To remove affected tissue.
• External radiation.
• Chemotherapy.
• Targeted drug therapy: Certain medications can be used to treat papillary or follicular thyroid cancers if typical cancer treatments are not effective. 

Papillary Thyroid Cancer Survival Rate & Surviving Thyroid Cancer

When first diagnosed with thyroid cancer, some of the first questions a patient may have might include “What is the life expectancy of a person with thyroid cancer?” “Is thyroid cancer very curable?”. The prospect of fighting cancer can be scary, but surviving thyroid cancer is a very real possibility.

5-year and 10-year survival rates for thyroid cancer vary depending on type and stage, but here are some rough statistics:

• Papillary thyroid cancer survival rate after 5 years: 99.5%
  • Papillary thyroid cancer prognosis improves if the affected area is local to the thyroid.
• Medullary thyroid cancer survival rate after 5 years, on average: 91%
• Anaplastic 5-year survival rate: 8%
• Follicular thyroid cancer survival rate, average after 5 years: 98%

Thyroid Cancer Support

Thyroid support doesn’t just refer to physical treatment. When facing thyroid cancer, a thyroid support group can be extremely beneficial to patients. SHAREing & CAREing offers a number of support opportunities for those dealing with cancer and we’d love to help you navigate this difficult journey. Our patient services can help you face the challenges ahead, and our survivorship program supports those who have moved through treatment already. 

Contact us to learn more about our support options in the Queens or greater New York City region. Our Thriver Thursday emails can keep you informed on our latest events and news!

Sources

• Thyroid Cancer Risk Factors, American Cancer Society
• What is Thyroid Cancer?, American Cancer Society
• Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer, American Cancer Society
• Thyroid Cancer Survival Rates, By Type & Stage, American Cancer Society
• Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC), The Cleveland Clinic