The rate of thyroid cancer in the United States has increased over the last several decades, and women are more likely to be diagnosed than men.
Why Are Thyroid Cancer Rates Higher in Women?
Thyroid cancer patients most commonly tend to be women between the ages of 30-60. Thyroid disorders, in general, are more common in women, likely due to the role hormones play in women versus in men.
However, another reason numbers might be higher for women is that these cancers are more commonly being discovered when women are being tested for other medical conditions.
Signs You May Have Thyroid Cancer
While you may not experience symptoms early on, as the cancer progresses you may notice:
- Fatigue
- Changes in hair, skin and/or nails
- A lump that can be felt through the skin on your neck
- Pain in neck and throat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Swollen lymph nodes in neck
Many of these symptoms have other causes not related to cancer. However, if you notice any of these, make an appointment with your doctor to get checked out as soon as possible.
Thyroid Cancer is Very Treatable
While a cancer diagnosis is always scary, it’s important to know that most thyroid cancers are highly treatable and slow-moving.
“With thyroid cancer, we talk about prognosis in terms of 20-year survival instead of five years, as we do with most other cancers,” said Jonathon Russell, M.D., assistant professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. “It’s usually a slow-moving disease. There’s a 98 to 99% survival rate at 20 years.”
In some cases, observation is all that may be required after your diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend frequent monitoring with blood tests and ultrasound exams once or twice a year.
The most common treatment is surgery to remove the thyroid, followed by thyroid hormone medication to replace the hormones no longer being produced.
Additional treatments may include:
- Radioactive iodine treatment
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
Get Support During Cancer Diagnosis
Whatever stage of treatment you’re at, it’s important that you’re getting support from your community. Ask for help from family and friends. Consider seeing a counselor to discuss your feelings about your diagnosis. You can also find support groups by visiting Cancer Support Community East Tennessee.
If you have additional questions or need to make an appointment with one of our specialists, contact Foothills ENT today.