Thyroid Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland which is there in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland produces two kinds of hormones. One of which is responsible for regulating the heart rate, energy levels and body temperature. And the other one controls the level of calcium in the body. The thyroid cancer is a medical condition, where the cells are produced and divided in the thyroid gland but then these wouldn’t die. In the body new cells are producing all the time and the die at the same rate and that is why there is a harmony. This harmony is broken by the birth if the cells which are consistently growing and dividing but these would not die. This abnormal growth of cells in the thyroid gland would be called thyroid cancer.

Every disease has a set of symptoms and thyroid cancer is no different. The cancer growth in the thyroid glad could be indicated by the lump or noodle surfacing up on the front neck just near the Adam’s apple. In case you are finding it difficult to talk or are feeling hoarseness could be an indication of thyroid cancer. Lymph nodes get swollen in the neck. The person affected by the thyroid cancer would have problems breathing and swallowing things and would be experiencing pain in the neck and the throat. All these symptoms would not necessary say that the person has thyroid cancer. These are indication that would call for a check up to know the root cause which may or may not be thyroid cancer. Physical examination by the doctor, a blood test, Radionuclide scanning and Biopsy would be the ways of ensuring if these symptoms are the indication of thyroid cancer.

The breaking of the news to a person about the thyroid cancer could be quite dramatic in nature and would be shocking and stressful not only for the patient but also for the family. It is important that the patient is supported by the family so that he is positive all the time. This would help many folds during the treatment process. Ideally the treatment should start within few weeks of the diagnoses. The doctor would refer you to the specialists who can treat cancer. The specialist would undertake various procedures to rest the cancer, depending upon the ground realities of the patient. Surgeons, medical oncologists, endocrinologists & radiation oncologists are certain treatment options. During the entire process the doctor and the patient should be talking in depth about the decision around the treatment.

It would be a good idea to take a second opinion on the advice given buys the first doctor. This doesn’t mean that you are distrusting the doctor; it is just a way to be very sure about what you are getting into. Finally when a treatment is decided, the same should be explained clearly to the patient and the patient should agree with the same and only then the same could be proceeded with a positive outlook is indispensable.