Thyroid cancer

What is thyroid cancer?

Thyroid cancer starts in thyroid gland cells. The most common types are papillary thyroid cancer and follicular thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer is usually the result of different risks which include ionizing radiation and non-cancerous conditions of the thyroid.fi

Common signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer include a lump or swelling, hoarseness, a sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

Tests such as blood tests, ultrasound and radioactive iodine tests can be used to diagnose or rule out thyroid cancer.

The stage of thyroid cancer describes how much cancer is in the body. Different staging systems are used for the different types of thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the neck, lymph nodes and other parts of the body.

Prognosis estimates the outcome for thyroid cancer. It depends on many factors including your age and the type and stage of the cancer.

Thyroid cancer can be treated with surgery, hormone therapy, active surveillance, radiation therapy, targeted therapy and chemotherapy.

Supportive care helps people meet the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges of thyroid cancer.

Cancer statistics tell us how many people in Canada are diagnosed with and die from thyroid cancer in a certain time frame.