More than 43,000 people will learn they have thyroid cancer this year. If you're one of them, the news could come as a shock. You might wonder what your treatment will look like and worry what your future might hold.
Thyroid cancer isn't as common as breast, colon, or lung cancers. But it is very treatable most of the time.
When you know what to expect, the diagnosis may feel less scary. Educating yourself about thyroid cancer and its treatment will also help you take control and be an active partner in your care.
What Is Differentiated Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid cancer starts in the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck. Your thyroid gland makes hormones that control how your body uses energy, digests food, and does many other functions.
About 90% of thyroid cancers are the differentiated type. These cancers grow in follicular cells that make and release thyroid hormones. Differentiated means the cancer cells look and act almost the same as healthy thyroid cells.
This type of thyroid cancer grows slowly. That makes it less likely to spread to other parts of your body than other thyroid cancers.
Types of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Differentiated thyroid cancer refers to two types:
Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type. About 80% of people with thyroid cancer have this kind. Most people who get papillary thyroid cancer are younger than 40. This cancer usually grows very slowly.
Follicular thyroid cancer makes up about 10% of thyroid cancers. It forms a lump in the neck. This type is more likely to spread to other parts of the body. Once the cancer spreads, it is harder to treat.
What Happens Next?
After you have a diagnosis, the doctor will give your cancer a stage from I to IV:
Stage I has not spread outside the thyroid gland.
Stage II may have spread outside the gland, and it may have spread to nearby lymph nodes or muscles.
Stage III has spread to nearby lymph nodes and to tissues near the thyroid, such as the neck, windpipe, or esophagus.
Stage IV has spread to other parts of the body, like the lungs or bones.
Your doctor will recommend a treatment based on your personal medical history and your cancer type and stage. Surgery to remove the thyroid gland is the first treatment for most thyroid cancers.
The doctor might want to use radioactive iodine treatment after surgery or if the cancer has spread. The radiation helps to get rid of any cancer cells that are left in your body. After surgery, you'll likely need to take a thyroid hormone pill for life to replace the hormone your body no longer makes.
Radiation, chemotherapy, and medicines called targeted therapies are other treatments for thyroid cancer. Your doctor will recommend the treatment that's most likely to get rid of your cancer and prevent it from coming back.
Tips if You Were Recently Diagnosed
You can feel more in control, make better decisions, and potentially get better care when you are an active partner in your treatment. Here’s how to do it:
Learn all you can about thyroid cancer. The more you know about your cancer, the easier it will be to understand your doctor’s recommendations and make the best decisions. Before you meet with the doctor, read about thyroid cancer on reliable websites like the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Thyroid Association.
Ask questions. Make a list of questions like these to ask your doctor during your visits:
- What stage is my cancer?
- What treatments do you recommend?
- Why do you recommend these treatments?
- What are the pros and cons of each?
- Should I see another specialist? Which one?
- How will I know if my treatment is working?
- What side effects could it cause?
- How will the cancer and treatment change my daily life?
- What is my outlook?
Get a second opinion. Ask another doctor, or even two, to review your test results and recommend treatment. You won't hurt your doctor's feelings by asking. A second opinion can help you be sure that you've chosen the right approach. If you can get to a cancer center, it will give you access to many experienced thyroid cancer specialists and the latest treatments, including those still in clinical trials.
Be an active part of treatment decisions. It's important for you to be an equal partner in your care. If you don't agree with your doctor's advice, it's OK to say so and explain why. This will get you closer to treatment that matches your goals.
Ask for support. You'll probably need extra help during your treatment. Ask friends, family, or a partner to drive you to appointments, babysit your kids, go grocery shopping, and cook meals until you feel better.
Talk to someone. Being diagnosed with cancer can bring a lot of fear and anxiety. Everyone reacts differently to their diagnosis. Reach out for advice if you need it. You might talk to a counselor or therapist. You can also join a thyroid cancer support group through a group like the American Cancer Society or CancerCare. A social worker or cancer navigator at your hospital can help you find the support you need.
Life With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
The outlook for differentiated thyroid cancer is excellent when it's treated early. Often treatment can get rid of the cancer for good. But sometimes thyroid cancer never fully goes away. If that’s your case, you may have to stay on treatment long term to keep it under control.
Thyroid cancer can also come back after treatment. You'll see your doctor for regular follow-up visits to check whether your cancer has returned, which is called a recurrence. If the cancer does come back, your doctor can usually treat it again.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: DigitalVision/Getty Images
SOURCES:
American Cancer Society: "Key Statistics for Thyroid Cancer," "Living as a Thyroid Cancer Survivor," "Treatment of Thyroid Cancer, By Type and Stage."
Cancer Research Institute: "An Eight-Step Guide for Cancer Patients on How to Get the Best Care."
Cancer Research UK: "Types of Thyroid Cancer."
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: "Differentiated Thyroid Cancer."
Cleveland Clinic: "Follicular Thyroid Cancer."
Columbia Surgery: "Papillary Thyroid Cancer."
Society for Endocrinology: "Thyroid Gland."
Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association: "Thyroid Cancer Basics."
World Health Organization: "Cancer."
