Causes, signs and methods of early diagnosis of thyroid cancer

The article was written by Specialist Doctor II Le Thi My - Director of Thyroid Pathology Center - Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common diseases in the head, face and neck area and is ranked 10th in terms of the prevalence of common cancers (after liver, lung, breast, stomach cancer). ..). Currently, the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing in the world as well as in Vietnam. According to statistics, the incidence of thyroid cancer in the past 5 years has increased by 3-4 times. The data of Globocan 2018, 2020 shows that Vietnam has an average of nearly 6000 new cases each year. In fact, this is a cancer with a pretty good prognosis if the patient is detected early and treated promptly. So to detect the disease as early as possible, what should we do?

The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland located in the neck region that secretes basic metabolic hormones for the body. Thyroid cancer occurs when normal thyroid cells change into abnormal cells that grow out of control and become malignant tumors. Thyroid cancer has many different types, of which 4 main types are common:
Papillary thyroid cancer: accounting for ~ 80-85%, good prognosis, curable. Follicular cancer: accounts for ~10%, is a highly differentiated type. Medullary cancer: accounting for ~ 3%, is the type derived from parafollicular cells. Undifferentiated cancer: accounting for ~ 1%, poor prognosis, difficult to treat.

Some of the main risk factors for thyroid cancer include:
Radiation exposure: This is a proven risk factor for thyroid cancer. Therefore, people who are working in an environment with radioactive elements such as X-ray rooms, X-ray vascular intervention rooms, mines or you have a history of irradiation treatment in the head, face and neck area, the cancer screening should be done. Armor letter is required. Genetic factors: Some genetic diseases are associated with and increase the risk of developing thyroid cancer such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), Cowden's disease, familial polyposis syndrome. Family history: Having an immediate family member (parent, brother, sister, or child) with thyroid cancer also increases your risk of thyroid cancer. Age and gender factors: Patients with this disease are mainly between the ages of 30 and 50. Women are 2-4 times more likely to get the disease than men. Therefore, women in addition to paying attention to breast, cervical and ovarian cancer screening should also pay attention to and screen for thyroid cancer. History of thyroid disease: People with goiter, Graves' disease, or autoimmune thyroiditis have a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer. Other risk factors for thyroid cancer include: diet deficient in iodine, drinking alcohol regularly for a long time, smoking habits, overweight and obesity.

In the early stages, the disease often causes no symptoms. You can detect the disease during a routine check-up. When thyroid cancer is symptomatic, you will usually feel a mass in the thyroid gland. In addition, other signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer include:
Hoarseness in swallowing when the tumor presses on the esophagus Difficulty breathing when the tumor invades the trachea At a later stage, you can feel cervical lymphadenopathy or symptoms of distant metastases such as bone pain in bone metastases ... When we notice abnormalities in the body, we need to go to the doctor immediately, have a general examination as well as a specialist examination to detect the disease early. possible. Doctors recommend that you go for a regular check-up once a year to understand your health status, as well as have a direction to screen for early treatment.

The doctor may order a variety of tests to help diagnose the disease, including:
Clinical examination: assessment of neck and thyroid lesions and detection of other related symptoms. Blood tests: help evaluate the function and indicators related to thyroid disease. Diagnostic imaging - ultrasound of the thyroid gland: Ultrasound is a simple examination to help determine the shape, size, structure, and properties of thyroid nodules, and based on ultrasound features to help guide classification. benign and malignant lesions. In addition, ultrasound is also used as a tool in performing fine-needle aspiration cytology. Fine needle aspiration cytology – the doctor will use a fine needle to poke a tumor in the thyroid gland to remove a few samples, then look at them through a microscope to make a diagnosis. This is a very valuable method for diagnosing the benign or malignant nature of the lesion. In addition, in some cases, it is possible to do some more in-depth examinations such as thyroid scintigraphy, computed tomography, neck magnetic resonance ....

Currently with the level of thyroid cancer as well as thyroid diseases are increasing, so the need for intensive examination and treatment of this disease is very necessary. Vinmec International General Hospital has established a Thyroid Pathology Center (Service Line Giap) equipped with advanced modern equipment and a team of leading experts with high expertise to help patients be diagnosed, treatment and care in an optimal and comprehensive way. At the Thyroid Pathology Center, there are packages of screening and screening for thyroid diseases that help:
Check thyroid function. Screening & early detection of common thyroid diseases such as simple goiter, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer... appropriate and timely treatment. When registering for screening packages, screening for thyroid diseases, customers will be examined and consulted with a specialist in Endocrinology, Thyroid Ultrasound, Tests to screen for gland diseases, return results. and consult a doctor. All procedures are performed quickly, accurately and bring peace of mind to the patient.
If you have any questions or concerns about thyroid disease, please leave questions for Vinmec doctors right on the website vimec.com!