The thyroid is an important gland. It’s located in the front of the neck (just below the voice box) and helps manage your metabolic and calcium levels. Sometimes, cells in the thyroid divide in an abnormal way and eventually grow into cancers.
There are a number of different types of thyroid cancer, including:
Papillary thyroid cancer usually forms in one lobe of the thyroid gland and makes up approximately 80% of all cases. Follicular thyroid cancer occurs in around 20% of cases. The remaining thyroid cancers are relatively rare.
Each type has different characteristics; some grow slowly and are relatively easy to treat, while others grow quickly and spread aggressively.
Many thyroid cancers have few noticeable symptoms - and those can easily be mistaken for other issues.
See your doctor if you experience any of the following:
95% of thyroid lumps do not indicate cancer - but get them checked anyway.
The doctor will complete a physical examination to monitor the size and firmness of your thyroid lump and check for any swelling in nearby lymph nodes. They’ll also organise blood tests.
Although blood tests cannot provide a diagnosis for thyroid cancer, they give an overall picture of your thyroid health and can identify other conditions, such as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Blood tests also provide useful markers for monitoring thyroid response during and after treatment.
Your GP may then request some other tests, including:
You’ll be referred to a specialist if tests indicate that you have cancer. Its type, size, spread, and growth will shape your treatment programme. The medical team will take into account your age, health, and personal preferences.
Doctors assign a stage classification to your tumour indicating its size and spread.
Doctors may assign additional letters to your stage as well. These provide more detail about the spread of the cancer.
Image by macrovector on Freepick
Effective treatment for thyroid cancer can involve a number of options, including:
These treatments come with possible side effects, which your doctor will discuss with you.
After treatment, you’ll need regular follow-up testing to monitor your recovery and to check that all cancer has been removed with no sign of recurrence.
Although we do not know exactly what causes thyroid cancer, there are certain risk factors to be aware of. They include:
Your chances of surviving thyroid cancer increase with an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Generally, those afflicted with one of the common types of thyroid cancer have a very high five-year survival rate of 98%. Some of the rarer forms can be aggressive and more challenging to treat.
You may not have thyroid cancer but that’s no guarantee it won’t happen to you or someone you love. Think about how health insurance can prepare you for the possibility.
And not all health insurance plans are the same. Some plans only pay for a tiny fraction of your treatment expenses.
Don’t let this happen to you. When buying health insurance, talk to a Policywise adviser about maximum benefit amounts for cancer treatments, non-Pharmac cover, inclusions, and any exclusions.
We provide clear, easy-to-understand plan comparisons from different insurers so you can choose the policy with the best cover. Our service is free - and it might just change your life for the better.